The Hostel
by Da'khari
Summary: Sam and Mercy find themselves homeless and living in a Hostel, determined to fight against everything that put them in their situation at Christmas they, along with their new friends, set about creating their own holiday celebrations
1. Chapter 1

**THE HOSTEL**

 **UPDATED**

 **16** **th** **December**

The homeless hostel, Amanda House, was the newly purpose built accommodation kitted out from floor to ceiling with all the essential items to live, four three story blocks with five flats in each and an office, situated at the mouth of the cul-de-sac shaped project. Housed 16 – 25 year old's who for whatever reason had found themselves homeless, situated in Birmingham, England, Brad and Holly were responsible for block C and it's residents.

 **Noah – Flat 2**

Noah; the first to move in, came from a rather well to do family, or so he thought, his Mom being a nurse and his Dad a builder by trade, he'd had a happy childhood, but a bit of a hard time at school for being a Jew he soon learned to be proud of who he was. By the time he was in college he sort of worked out that his Dad sold stuff on the side and that tended to bring in more money than their regular jobs. He became homeless when his Dad, informed him the house was hot, gave him some money and told him at 20 it was time for him to make his way in life one day just out the blue.

He was deep in thought about the party that was definitely going to happen later when he heard a car screech to a holt on the forecourt and looked out his window, he'd had the pick of the place and put himself in a prime location he could see everyone coming in or going out, see the local shop, see the bus coming from the stop before and just hop across the road to catch it in time if he needed "Who's that?" he asked nobody still watching as a Blond haired girl came out of a taxi struggling with something off the back seat "Shit" he said, as his party plans sailed when he saw a baby come out as Holly walked towards them obviously going to give her the 2 hour spiel he'd just had

 **Quinn – Flat 1**

Totally not interested in what staff had to say, Quinn's only concern was getting her baby's Dad into the flat. Holly, on learning he was waiting in the taxi, went out to meet him just to read him the visiting rules "Hello" she said as the tall, well built, dark haired black man walked towards her, looking a fair bit older than 19 year old Quinn, with a thuggish look on his face ' _looks like trouble'_ she thought "I've already told Quinn but visiting is between 5pm and 10pm in the future and for stay overs you'll have to give 24 hours' notice" she relayed to him feeling the urge to let him know she'd already caught onto his game

"Nobody tells me when I see my kid" he snapped back

"Shane" Quinn said under her breath, but she was standing too close to Holly for her not to have heard

Quinn's notes said she didn't fare well with authority, following the involvement of Social Services with her now 10 month old daughter when she was born, and the split of her parents had made her even more difficult to live with. She blamed her Mom for the split but her Dad wanted nothing to do with her and openly told her that, sending her over the edge and into the arms of Shane. He was a controlling, possessive bully who got his kicks from telling her how to breath along with everything else and, the world owed him since his father passed when he was 8 years old. Truth they both needed support but for now being together in their dis-functional relationship seemed enough for them.

"Do you need help unpacking?" Holly asked looking at Quinn

"No" Shane said grabbing the key off Quinn and making his way to the building to let himself in

 **Santana – Flat 3**

"Santana's a pleasant young lady" Tony; her worker from her previous project, said to Brad as he passed the paperwork over "she needs to improve on her life skills but other than that she's working, presents well and, although her Mom's Bipolar troubled her when she first came to us some 3 months ago, she seems to have moved away from the thought of it being her life in a few years' time" he added "She's worked well with me but as I said she's just started a new job near here and requested the move for budgeting and she wants to be close to her family, namely some brother, so this seemed like the best of both for her" Tony finished handing over the last of the files, which were as big as a lever arch folder to Brad, he went out to say a few words to Santana and he was gone.

Brad stepped outside the office door when her realised Tony had gone to see the frail, pretty, vulnerable girl her origins mixed maybe Hispanic and something else sitting patiently waiting. He did his usual getting to know you stuff concluding with "Well I'm here to help but, I will come down on you if I see you getting these lovely new flats into a state" he warned her "Okay, let's go do your health and safety stuff in the flat and I'll leave you to get settled in" he finally told her as they got up and walked towards the office door and over to the flat, Brad unsure of exactly how much of his talk she'd taken in "We'll meet up tomorrow to start on your other assessments" he said as he left her at the flat having helped her bring her things in

"Okay" she said looking at the big bag of clothes on the couch waiting to be unpacked "Get to it" she said picking up the bag and throwing it in the bottom of the wardrobe "Done" she said sitting on the bed

 **Mercy – Flat 4**

Mercy sat in the back office with Brad telling her story and crying, she'd come to move into flat 4 but had become upset almost immediately and was taken to a more private room, to speak to her soon to be support worker. "He just hits me for no reason he takes that stuff and he's gone, a totally different person, and I hate him, but I don't you know he's my older brother" she said breaking down again

"Mom and Dad are no better" she said rolling her eyes, "Dad sells dodgy DVD's big time and thinks he's like one of the Cray Brother or something and Mom well, she gets on a flight every 6 months to France brings back dodgy cigarettes and thinks she lives on the edge, but they can't or don't want to see the mess Andrew is making of his life and it hurts you know? I mean how can you have 2 parents and none of them give a shit about what happens to you?" she said crying again "I'm not a weak person you know, I know you think I am because I'm crying but this is like 10 years worth of cry coming out of me, I need to cry until I'm mad" she blurted out laughing

"So what do you want to do now you've got that out the way?" Brad asked when he found a gap in her sob

"Honestly" she said looking at him "I've got a brain I'd like to use it, I'm nearly 21 I want to go to Uni or something first then of course the independent skills I'm hoping to gain more rounding from this place and my job will help with the boredom" she said stopping for thought "I'm determined to change my life for the better" she said finally wiping her eyes "You've just witnessed my last tears for my past and if you see me crying in the future you have my permission to slap me" she laughed

"Right positive talk I love it" Brad sat up in his chair ready for real talk "Can we do this induction now?" he asked

 **Sam – Flat 5**

Sam arrived late evening and sat listening to Brad talking about himself for about 10 minutes "So" he heard, looking up and see Brad looking at him

"Oh my turn to do what I call, em me" he said smiling "I come from a very strict white stiff upper lip family background my Mom ruled me with an iron Bible. I think it was because my Dad did the dirty on her all those years ago, she tried to grow me like a proper man should be, or what she thinks" he smirked "My dad and his trick have done their damned best to fuck my head up always playing games with my Mom and stuff but she's a fighter and I love that about her she always springs back. "I'm dyslexic but I try not to bring that to the table too much" he said almost shyly "And well I'm here because I need to get out from under my Mom, I can see Carrie for men happening all over again if I stay any longer" he laughed

"So with all that happening, what conclusions have you reached?" Brad asked

"Well honestly, if anyone is going to fuck your head up it's your family" he laughed for a short while before getting serious "And the biggest I think is never to mess with people's hearts it's cruel, I don't want to be like my Dad, I'm going to find my woman and stick to her like glue"

"I like it" he said making Sam smile "Let's do the legal stuff and you can get yourself sorted

By the end of the day block C was at full capacity, with a mix of young people from all walks of life pulled together in the name of homelessness for whatever reason.

 **17thDecember**

Handover

"We need a house meeting" Brad suggested "Get things under control before it goes too far maybe tomorrow" as all the Support Workers stood updating their Manager after the first nights handover

"Yeah sure; it was reported last night that Noah had a party and he's been told at induction" Holly reported rolling her eyes "And don't even get me started about Quinn, her partner hasn't left since she moved in, advice please?" she begged

"You think you got problems I went into Santana's flat this morning and OMG the mess I could not believe that was the brand new flat we gave the girl less than twenty four hours ago I've got some work to do there" Brad said holding his head "Sam's good he's working and at college" he smiled looking at Holly "Plus I have Mercy who I thought was going to be a hell of needy trouble but, she's settled she's working and she's on top of it. I'll have to go to her workplace for meetings she's so busy" he laughed "She won't be able to make a house meeting but I'll let her know what was discussed" he added

So finally all the teams were agreed on their days and plans were made, the next day was agreed for Block C's house meeting to take place, agenda set to discuss house rules, the visitors' policy and the three strikes rule, along with the group starting their life skills.

 **Noah**

"Hey" Noah shouted to the girl walking across the courtyard, as he sat in the forecourt, with his early morning drink in his hand, posing on his push bike, she looked round but carried on walking "Hey" he said again sounding a bit pissed off "I'm talking to you" he added as the girl slowed down "Come here" he almost ordered

"You don't know me, don't talk to me like that" she shouted back

"Sorry" he quickly back tracked "I mean could you come here a minute, please" he asked with a cheeky grin

She started walking towards him smiling at the small victory "What do you want?" she asked shaking her hips and puffing on her cigarette like her life depended on it

"I seen a girl visiting you sharp like oh, long black hair, Jewish looking , skinny and pretty looking, you got her number?" he asked

"No I ain't got her fucking number and I don't know who the fuck you're talking about either" Santana walked off saying angrily

"Hey I'm kidding, I want to know your name" he shouted after her _'Well that went well'_ he thought as he watched her walking away "You girls are so fucking touchy" he shouted after her as she walked into the block, he didn't see her smiling

"Noah hi" Holly said, coming from nowhere "House meeting tomorrow you must attend" she said handing him the memo

 **Quinn**

"You know it's been nearly a week since you took Marc out for even a walk" Shane informed her as they sat eating their evening meal

"I'll take him after this, I just thought you'd like to spend time with him, plus we just moved in yesterday I'm kind of tired" she replied

"Spend time?" he questioned his angry already coming

"Yeah, you know be with your son" she answered

"I was thinking more on the line of you spending time with our son, all this neglect doesn't make a good mother you know? I mean you're crap at everything else in your life, I thought you'd at least try at this" he said huffing at the end of his comment

"I am trying and the midwife says I'm doing alright" she looked up saying, a cry in her voice "Shay why is it you always try to put me down in everything I do?" she asked

"I don't you're just such a disappointment" he commented sitting back in the couch

"You know if that's the case you can always leave, I can manage alone"

"I've told you I'm not leaving my child with you, if I go, he goes" he spat

"You can't take him from me, he's my son" a cry in her voice

"He's mine too and I have rights and I'd make your life so fucking difficult, you wouldn't know what hit you" he threatened

"I know your sleeping with Lauren" she announced

"So what the hell has that got to do with you?" he asked angry standing up over her "You need to stop before this gets serious" he warned as she cowered away from him seeing the signs

"Just letting you know that I know" she replied "I don't think you understand what being a man, I mean a dad, is all about" she dared to carry on when she saw him drawing back, she knew by now he'd already made up his mind he was going to hit her, she might as well say what she means

"What the fuck do you mean by that?" he asked rushing back towards her

"Well your father and stuff, I don't think you know the first thing about being an active Dad"

"You went for gold?" he asked slapping her across the face "I keep telling you to leave my family, including Lauren out of your mouth" he said slapping her with every other word

"Stop please" she screamed holding her hands up to stop him attacking her face any more

"I wish you'd stop" he said kicking her to the ground as she tried to get up "Breathing that is" he added just before the baby started crying

"Stay there Marc" she shouted, to keep him out of harm's way as Shane walked away from her cutting his eye and sucking air through his teeth. She put her hands out for the baby to go to her and sat there crying for the longest time, she heard the door slam, he'd obviously gone out, minutes later she heard the letterbox knock "Who is it?" she asked

"Holly, I've got a memo for you" she said through the door

"Post it" she called back

"Okay, house meeting tomorrow, you must attend"

"Really?" Quinn said to herself as she wiped blood from her lip

 **Santana**

Santana had been working prior to moving in, now she'd got a new lease on life she didn't have to work like Cinderella any more for her wicked step Mother and her Dad, she did things at her own pace. It had been 24 hours since she'd moved in and she was good. She'd been chirped by some guy in the block earlier and she was walking on clouds "God I'm still sexy" she said to herself as she moved her hips to her own song opening her door to get in. "God I must do this" she said walking over the soda bottle, make up items, clothes and other household items on the floor, to get to her even more clothe littered bedroom. She sat on the bed and looked around breathing hard as she came to the realisation that she needed to make another change somehow,

She loved nice things, she worked a 9 to 5 job which paid alright and her looks had got her a very well to do football player not really a professional but, the only way was up for him and she was clinging on for dear life. They'd finally slept together and afterwards he announced he was taking her to meet his sister next weekend so, she needed something super stylish for the occasion. He was going to pick her up from home, he definitely wasn't getting into the flat she thought looking around as she heard her doorbell ring "Who is it?" she shouted

"It's Brad" she started to frantically pick items up off the floor

"I'm coming" she shouted back running around, throwing things into the bedroom, before she got to the door

"I've already seen the state of your flat, if that's what you're hiding" he said as she appeared at the door

"I'm dedicating Sunday to it, I've just had work and stuff I'm going to do it honestly" she said smiling as he stood waiting to be invited in

"Santana I'm concerned you may need some extra support in relation to the issues we discussed yesterday, I know you think different but, the condition of your flat tells me, that despite what you think, there is a cry for help going on here" he looked around the living room having found the one semi-safe spot to rest his feet

"Really I don't need professional help, I'll tell the truth, I've just started going out with this footballer guy and he's a bit demanding on my time, I'll sort it" she almost shouted in panic

"See now where's that coming from?" he asked at the raised voice she was using on him

"You coming in here telling me I'm not coping, I cope, very well actually, I'm a bit pissed at my so called parents right now and I'm just not going to conform and clean up that's all but I know how to do it, and it will get done"

"Okay how's work?" he asked, hearing the situation could get out of hand, and he was lone working right now

"I'm still working, I've got a meet the family thing next weekend so I'll be doing more hours to get some bills together to get that Gucci dress I saw, wicked" she smiled

"Okay here's the deal I'll give you until 4 pm tomorrow to clean this up and I'll come back to check, if it's not done you'll be getting a warning" he said reaching her door "Oh" he turned back saying "I came to give you this it's about your house meeting tomorrow at 6 pm you'll have to attend" he said handing her the memo before leaving.

 **Mercy**

Mercy was at her Job in the day, she'd paid her rent out of her savings, her flat was just as clean as she'd been given it and she'd made it homely, she was having her lunch break when her mobile rang "Hi Brad" she smiled down the phone "I think I need to move out" she told him "I'm paying an extortionate amount of rent and the noise in there last night kept me up I had to come to work for a rest" she laughed

"I'll look into that but just called to say, we're having a house meeting to deal with stuff like that tomorrow you need to attend" he informed her "It's at 6 pm and I know you like to get in and settle but it's once every week otherwise we're on your back" he laughed

"Okay"

"So house of Mom and Dad, what's happening?"

"I turned a page on that lot and left them where they were, with Christmas coming up I'll need me a new family" she said smiling still

"Find out if anyone else is staying"

"I don't speak to anyone in there everyone seems to be in strife, one girls is getting proper battered, there's a guy I call Marijuana baby downstairs he is constantly smoking; the smell" she laughed "And then there's Miss catwalk I call her, I've seen her through the window, she dresses great but the smell coming from her flat is disgusting" she said seriously

"So what about eye candy?" he asked

"What that woman batterer, she can keep him he might be nice on the outside but he's a rotten apple really"

"I thought he just worked and kept himself to himself?"

"Who Shane?" Mercy asked "I don't even speak to him and I know his damn name, he's an animal" she said narrowing her eyes with despise "And that poor baby sees everything"

"No; I shouldn't say any more" he laughed

"Oh I'm not interested anyway, my priority is finding my own place, how can you be homeless and be looking for a man?"

"Easy but I'm glad your focused" he said "When you come back you can sign these notes I'm writing as we speak, I'm leaving them for you so just ask staff; Later" he said before closing the call

"Bye"

 **Sam – Flat 5**

"So you want me to report on living in hell" Sam laughed as he sat down in the office "This place is crazy" he said swinging on the back legs of his chair as he sat in the office "I had to have a day off today because I got no sleep last night what with the herbalist and his friends cars revving like crazy all night, then psycho daddy with the drip of a weak girl he batters day and night while that crying baby just stands watching I assume and last but not least footballers wanna be coming in with loud music this morning showing off at having a footballer for a boyfriend I'd laugh if I wasn't so damn tired" he said with a forced smile

"Sorry about that and we are going to deal with it, we're having a house meeting tomorrow you'll need to attend" Brad told him apologetically

"No can do, sorry it's my Dad's birthday the day after, he's having an eat up tomorrow and everyone jumps to attention for that, I have to be with the family for the day, I've already booked it off work and college"

"You'll get a letter to attend the next one and I'll need to see you the early part of next week to fill you in on what was said and agreed" he smiled "So other than the gripes how's things?"

"Flat's good, work, college all under control, I can pay my bills, thanks for that rota thing you left me last night, by the way, keeps me focused"

"Anything else to report?"

"No well... yeah" he said looking puzzled "I saw a guy in the building, real late last night, he asked me if someone called Mercy lived here, said he was her brother, I didn't know anyone of that name so I told him no and made sure he left"

"It's best to report things like that straight away to staff in the future just in case"

"He looked proper angry like she was in for it if he caught her, I thought she might have been an under aged visitor to our resident herbalist, I'd have loved to have sent him there" he laughed "What times the meeting?" he asked "I might have some things to say myself"

"It's at 6 pm, you gonna come?"

"I might" he smiled as he got up to leave the office

 **18thDecember**

 **The House Meeting**

"So what's this actually about then?" Noah asked as he rocked on the chair his feet on the table

"It's basically about your lucrative weed business and her being battered these past two mornings" Santana piped up as the staff looked at each other

"No it's about noise at night, the state of some of the flats, what's happening for Christmas and an introduction to some Life Skills stuff, main agenda item being tightening up on house rules" Holly announced

"No she was right" Mercy butted in "It's about his marijuana farming and night activities" she pointed at Noah "Mike Tyson's Mrs over there keeping everyone up at night" she nodded over at Quinn "But she missed her car door banging when she comes back from her cat walk" she said pointing at Santana

"I don't have a marijuana farm" Noah said angry faced

"And I'm not on the cat walk" Santana replied just as angry

"Well don't you dare say your boy ain't beating you because we all hear that shit on a regular" Mercy said cutting her eye at the battered girl

"Okay, Okay let's get some order here" Holly shouted over the noise

"Names" Brad shouted "If you want to share" he added as Sam walked through the door

"Am I late" he asked looking at Brad

"No come in, grab a seat"

Sam looked around the room and strategically picked his seat "Hi" he said as he looked around the room when he sat down, positioning himself so he could easily see everyone in the room

"We were just about to say names for those of us that wanted to" Brad updated him

"Oh okay" Sam replied

"Well I'm Santana, I've seen you before" she said pointing at Noah with a smile "I live at flat 3"

"I'm Noah, yep I've seen you two before" he said pointing at Santana and Quinn "But not you two" he said pointing at Sam and Mercy "Flat 2"

"Quinn" she said "I live in flat 1 and yes my boyfriend, who I wished could be an ex, does hit me regularly" she said almost proud

"Sam, I live at flat 5 I'm like the quiet one" he said laughing "I've seen you before" he said pointing at Santana "From the back jumping in and out of cars at ungodly hours in the morning; heard you" he said pointing at Quinn "And heard your boys all night" he smiled at Noah "But I've not seen you" he lingeringly looked at Mercy saying

"Mercy I live at flat 4 and I've never seen you before either" she looked back at him before adding" and I'd say I'm the quiet one" she giggled catching Sam's attention "And like Sam" she said with attitude "I've seen you guys out and around but not to talk to" she mentioned her eyes finishing up on Sam

"So the agenda items noise, state of flats, Christmas and new life skills programme" Brad announced

"I accept the noise bit Shane won't just fuck off and leave me alone he's a bully, he's even over at mine now because if I go out with the baby he thinks I won't come back and, in honesty, he might be right, I hate him"

"I thought it was some kind of kinky shit you know, some girls like that shit" Noah said laughing

"How does anyone like being hit?" Sam asked "You put up with it because you can't do better, but when you can, you do" he said obviously talking from bitter experience

"I'm sorry Quinn but I don't know how you put up with it, surely your child should be the priority in all this?" Santana asked "Talking from bitter experience" she whispered at the end

"Because if I make a move I lose my child, he lost his Dad when he was 8 years old and it's turned him into this bitter, heartless bastard do you really think I want the same for my kid?"

"Not the same but, this is different, in the wrong way" Sam butted in

"He's right, you need to sort out in your mind what different the right way is, and start making that work for you, if you sit back being scared of what you're going to face, you never will" Mercy said going over to hug her "And I know how difficult that's going to be" she said in her ear making Quinn cry and hold onto her for a while

"I want to leave" she sobbed

"I don't like to sound patronizing but Support Worker standing there, use them" Santana said pointing to Holly and Brad

"That's good advice Santana use us Quinn, but, we still have noise on the project" Brad said remembering his conversations with Mercy and Sam

"That's going to be me and my boys yeah?" Noah asked

"Yep" Sam and Mercy said together looking at each other, Sam smiled at her

"There's a baby in the block too bro and don't say it's not your problem because it is, I'm guessing you wouldn't want your child exposed to drug abuse, use or dealing would you?" Sam asked him

"No but then I wouldn't be looking to have my kid in a hostel either"

"Never say never" Brad said cocking his eye

"Look we all know the daddy ain't respecting but that don't mean we have to walk in his footsteps and not acknowledge a child in our mist and serve to be role models if his dad can't do that right now" Santana said

"Talking about role models" Mercy said pointing her finger around landing on Santana "There are dead people living in your place girl" she said as everyone smirked "No don't even laugh about it, this girl needs help" she said fanning everyone down "You walk about like you're coming off the cat walk and your place smells like rats live in it, what the hell is that about?" she asked

"It's my space"

"Maybe it is, but it's our noses, and that baby's and girl you ain't hurting nobody but yourself living like that" Mercy added with attitude, Santana sulked for a second before defending herself

"They called me Cinderella at home" she blurted out making everyone else turn to look at her

"Cinderella?" Quinn asked shocked

"Yeah I used to clean for punishment the toilets if I was really naughty, with a toothbrush"

"So why was you naughty?" Sam asked

"Naughty to my step Mom was asking for food"

"God sounds like my Mom; giving a proud look, checking a girl out, taking the Lord's name in vain, impure thoughts" Sam reeled off rolling his eyes

"Bible bashers" Mercy commented "At least they believed in something, my parents don't even believe in their frigging kids" she laughed sarcastically "I say parents he's not my Dad just some, well he's not my Dad" she finished remembering she barely knew these people

"Well my parents are my parents and because I have two professional parents those guys that visit me think I'm the bees knees, and I've boasted about that fact for a long while, but what I didn't know was that my Dad's not who he says he is" Noah said looking at his hands "I don't really want to say anything else" he added not looking up

"Okay can we verbally agree then" Brad finally asked clapping his hands together after more conversation "No visitors after 10pm noise off or down at 11pm, call staff if you hear any noise coming from anyone's flat after hours" he ran through

"And Santana needs to clean her flat and get rid of that smell" Mercy added

"Life skills" Holly announced "Guys you got less than 6 months here so you need to get all your life skills signed off by the end of month 2 so that we can do your move on application and get you in your own place before we have to serve you notice for here" she said

"What about those of us that work all the hour's God sends" Santana asked

"Sorry it's mandatory everyone needs to find the time to do this" Brad announced

"We could have a 10pm session at Quinn's for an hour or so 1 or 2 nights a week, make sure woman beater isn't up to anything or gone" Santana suggested

"Yeah good, we could do that" Quinn agreed

"So first one's tomorrow" Noah suggested, everyone nodded again

"I'll come to as many as I can" Mercy told them

"Me too" Sam followed with smiling at her again

"Checking a girl out" Mercy told him, smiling for his face lighting up "I do believe your blushing" she said coyly

"It's these impure thoughts I'm having running through my head about you" he replied laughing as he got up "Are we finished here?" he asked

"Yep minutes will be circulated tomorrow and Sam, thanks for coming I know you had to give stuff up to be here"

"No problem" Sam said stepping off before turning back to ask Mercy "Are you going home?"

"Yeah"

"Come on I'll walk you" he just about finished saying before she was up

"Mercy" Brad shouted 'Homeless' he mouthed laughing when she looked at him, Sam saw him and laughed himself

"Why was he reminding you I was homeless?" he asked when they got outside

"Oh just a conversation we had at my support session" she laughed "So Sam" she said looking at him as they walked across the yard "What do I need to guard myself from with you?"

"Nothing" he laughed "But I feel I've got something to tell you and I guess it's important" he said as they stopped walking "There was a guy in the block late the other night looking for you said he was your brother, looked really mad and stuff but I didn't know you then so I said you didn't live here, sorry about that" he said her face looking like thunder as he spoke "What?" he asked shocked at her expression

"No it's not you Sam it's that fucking brother of mine" she said as he watched her shaking

He panicked "Come with me" he grabbed hold of her arm but she wasn't moving he threw his arm round the back of her shoulders and pulling her out of the spot she'd frozen in, up the stairs to his flat "Sorry Mercy I didn't mean to shock you, what's the deal with your brother?" he asked as he got her inside and sat her down

 **Sam's Flat**

"He gets high on shit and beats the crap out of me, Mom and Dad are so far into their own shit they either don't see or don't care about what's happening with him and, I had to leave to retain my sanity" she blurted out looking up shocked at having told this stranger everything about her family in a minute

Sam seemed to hear what she was thinking because he started talking as soon as she finished "My dad left my Mom for another woman, Mom took to the bible, personally, I think she's fucking mad, but anyway I had to leave before I turned that fucker into a Carrie scene" he said looking at her as she looked up and they both burst out laughing "You just pictured the scene didn't you?" he asked

"With you in a dress" she said laughing harder as he smiled at her laugh

"Deep dark secrets not so deep and dark any more" he said before getting up "Coffee?" he asked

"I'd prefer chocolate if you have it" she replied

"Yeah I have, I thought I was the only one that drunk that stuff over 16 years of age" he laughed eventually emerging with two cups of hot chocolate with a bowl with marsh mellows, can of cream and a bag of sprinkles "This is my treat I give myself now and again but I'm sharing it with you tonight" he almost whispered getting up to go put some music on "I've got to set my indulgence mood" he laughed as ' ** _LUV' by Tory Lanez_** played on his set

"Is this what you're into?" she asked smiling

"I'm into a lot of genre actually this just happened to have been playing before I left out" he smiled as he dipped his marsh mellows and sucked on them while she watched "I sing a bit too" he said singing bits of the song obviously reeling her in

"Hey I like you already please don't give me sleaze" she laughed

"I thought it was sexy" he laughed going a bit red

"It's sexy alright but we hardly know each other, and the homeless thing Brad talked about was because I said I wasn't looking for anyone because who would be interested in someone that was homeless, he begged to differ" she smiled as she heard his next groove _**'Loyalty' by Kendrick Lamar ft Rihanna**_ "What the fuck" she said rocking to his selection "I can hold a tune too we should do something together see if we make sweet music" she smiled as they made small talk and sipped chocolate

"What were you planning on doing for Christmas?" he asked

"Not going home sweet home for a change, too painful and I know Andrew is gunning for me I'm staying here if I can" she said

"If you're here, I'm here too, we could karaoke or sing while I play guitar" he informed her

"You play guitar?"

"Yeah, does that turn you on because..."

"Because?" she smiled

"Well I can go all night on that mother" he laughed as his tunes changed and they were listening to **_'You da Baddest' by Future ft Nicki Minaj_** "Sweet" he said bobbing his head to the tune as he ate wet marsh mellows

"Is all this in protest to your Mom's doctrine?"

"I suppose it could be seen like that, but no I genuinely like the music" he said after some consideration "So what are you into?"

"Anything I can sing to, but R&B, Reggae, my Mom likes lovers rock so I've grown up with a bit of that too, My Dad's Roots and Ragga I don't mind the Ragga sometimes when I need to get some anger out and shit but my real love, I've always loved all that old school Soul and R&B you know" she said looking at him for approval

"By old school are you talking like Aretha, Whitney or Beyoncé?"

"All three, and everything in between, as I said anything I can sing" she smiled before finishing her drink "I got to go sort myself out for this life skills thing tomorrow you coming?"

"Yeah 10 o'clock yeah?"

"Yeah see you there" she smiled "Let's put that Christmas thing on the table see if we can get a party going and some dinner or something"

"Yeah for sure, Later" he said as he walked her to the door

 **Meanwhile elsewhere that evening**

"We still having this Life skills thing tomorrow?" Noah asked Holly as they finished talking

"I'm passing the work on to you and you'll be responsible for passing the information on to everyone else, you can use those organising skills for something else for a change" she laughed "If you get stuck just find a member of staff"

"Fair comment" he said smiling "As I said earlier I plan on sort of closing all that night stuff thing down, I hope they'll sort of get it" he looked up quite serious saying

"You're really up for that change stuff we just talked about aren't you?" s

"Yeah, I got my eye on someone,I feel I have to present different for her to take me serious and stuff you know" he smiled "Anyway; I'm going to speak to Quinn in a bit and see if she's cool with still having things in her flat, it can move to mine I don't mind"

"Okay just remember to let everyone know and, good luck with that eye" she said as she closed down the conversation

"Thanks" he said taking the paperwork off her and leaving the office to go find Quinn "Santana!" he shouted across the yard as he saw her entering the block, running over to her when she stopped, "You coming tomorrow?" he asked getting a blank look "Quinn's for life skills"

"Oh yeah I really wanted to go to that, is it tomorrow?"

"Your brain, we just had the conversation about an hour ago in the meeting and don't really want to come girl, make it happen" he smiled

"Is Mercy coming?"

"As far as I know, and I'm going to be there, 10pm" he walked inside telling her

"Okay I'll see you there" she said walking up the stairs praying he was watching her, he was so watching her

 **19th December**

 **Life skills session**

"Hi" Quinn said as they all came to the door together, she stepped aside to let them in "Shay the guys have come for the life skills session I told you about" she said as he turned to look at the crowd coming through the door

"Where you gonna do that, I'm watching TV" he replied

"You can go watch TV somewhere else like your house, and it's happening a few times a week" she replied as he looked at her with fire in his eyes

"Can we go talk?" he asked as everyone stood behind her listening to the conversation

"Here's fine and could you rush it on, you're eating into our study time"

"We can do this later" he stood up saying "I'll see you later" he picking his coat up and flashed it over his shoulder

"You'll need to make that tomorrow because by the time the session finishes we're past curfew" she smiled back as he reached the door took one last look at her and left the flat

"God that felt good" she said smiling at the others

"Good for you" Santana smiled as Mercy gave her a hug

"Okay" Noah said demanding order "Holly's told me what they sort of want so here are the booklets and we need to do five modules each to complete the course with at least 8 hours study on each module" they worked through something that interested them for nearly two hours before Quinn's baby stopped them when he woke up for a bottle or something

"Before we go, Holly also asked me to get everyone to think about doing something for Christmas, I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but it will be a good bonding exercise for us and if we're going to be almost living together for the next six months we need to get on" Noah told nodding heads

"We were talking about doing some sort of thing for Christmas but we didn't know what" Sam told the group

"One thing for sure I seriously do not want to be with my family" Mercy said making quote marks with her fingers when she said family "Christmas hasn't been good for me for a while" she said looking at Sam

"I think we can all jump on that" Santana told them

"Lets have an alternative Christmas, Call it a rebirth" Sam laughed "5 Days for Christmas" he said "Okay we can do what we want to express ourselves but I'll set the themes"

"I'll sing" Mercy offered

"I will too" Sam smiled

"Will there be a stage?" Santana asked excitement set in

"We can make one" Noah said as every nodded agreement "Okay guys same time, day after tomorrow for life skills and Sam what's the theme for the 5th day?" Noah asked as they left for their own flats

"Release the guilt" he shouted as everyone stopped to look at him "Yes you heard me, the overall theme is rebirth we can't start that until we let go of what's holding us back"

"God that's going to be a deep session, everything's confidential yeah?" Santana asked

"Everything believe me" Sam told them as they left, he walked Mercy upstairs "Will you be alright over there on your own tonight?" he asked as they walked up the stairs, "You can crash at mine if you want, no funny business" he said, holding his hands up laughing

"I'll knock on if I get scared" she laughed

"Okay"

"Okay I've got to go I've got work till the weekend so I'll see you for the theme tribute tomorrow night yeah?" she asked as she made her way to her door, Sam following her and watched as she walked across the landing to her flat and went in "Goodnight" she turned to say with a smile

"Goodnight" Sam said with his cheeky smile on display "Fuck" he said leaning on his door as he closed it, "This girl was sending his hormones reeling, in the best damn way"

 **20th December**

 **(Five Days to Christmas) Release the Guilt**

Handover

"There was some serious movement in regards to Noah's behaviour on site last night" the Night Worker reported "I was genuinely impressed with the way he handled his unwanted visitors"

"What did he do?" Holly asked

"He sort of used the fact that there was a child on site, even quoted the house rules made some long speech about not having anywhere else to go, sharing with them his reality check on his situation"

"Situation?" Brad asked

"Yeah I think it was a big thing for him to admit and even accept that he was in effect homeless, I respect the guy"

"That's really encouraging" Holly smiled

"And Quinn well" he announced as everyone looked on waiting for more revelations "Apparently; according to Santana, kicked Shane out last night for that life skills session, he rung the bell a few times but, to my knowledge he didn't come back so I guess things are looking up for her too"

"Yes" Holly said excitedly clapping her hands

"It's still early days yet" Brad said calming things down

"Did they come to any agreement about Christmas?" she asked "I need to let Ken know"

"He's coming to see you this morning" night staff informed her "Well my shifts done I'll see you all on Friday night" he said leaving the hostel for home

The day was filled with support meetings, work, college and studying for life skills, no sign of noise in block C

 **Quinn**

"Quinn" Santana shouted knocking her door as she made to leave the building late afternoon, she answered the door with the baby in her hand "Did he get back in?"

"He knocked but no, come in" she said letting the door go, as Santana walked in "He's been on the phone, he sounds mega pissed telling me to tell you guys never to come back and stuff" she said sitting down and sitting the baby on her lap

"Is that ..." Santana stopped hearing a knock at one of the doors, getting to be nosy "Noah" she shouted up the corridors, as Sam came through the front door

"What's up?" he asked

"I was looking for Noah" she said with a sigh

"I'll knock his door" Sam told her, doing just that, at the same time Noah appeared at his door

"What's all the damn noise" Mercy came out saying, smiling with Sam as their eyes met "What's up" she said a bit softer

"I don't know Santana needed to speak to Noah and I knocked the door" he told her

"knocked the door or shouted?" Mercy asked

"I knocked the door Santana shouted" he corrected her

"Anyway" Noah stood listening for a while before he realised he didn't know why he was standing there "What's up?" as everyone stood on the landing looking down at Quinn's door at Santana

"Oh" Santana said when she realised she had the floor "Shane's been threatening Quinn over her phone and telling her to stop us from going to hers and stuff can you do anything about that?"

"What, you think I'm the mafia or something?" he asked laughing

"Well you're closet to the door so you can generally see anyone coming in just say no to him or something"

"If I could just ask everyone?" Sam asked as they stood contemplating "Please don't let anyone in the building without knowing them especially if they're not visiting you, people are here for different reasons, running, hiding, scared all sorts can we just watch out for each other like that?"

"Sure" Noah said as everyone else nodded their heads in agreement before returning back to their flats while Sam ran up the stairs to speak to Mercy

"Thanks for saying that down there" she said as he got to their landing "Do you want to come and get a hot drink, I owe you one" she smiled

"I'd love to" he smiled walking towards her door "thought you'd never ask"

 **Mercy's Flat**

"I only have the standard two seat couch no beanbags I'm afraid so we'll have to get up close and personal" she said flickering her eyes at him, making him laugh as he closed the door behind them

"Purple" he said walking in further "Favourite colour I'm guessing" he laughed

"Chocolate I'm guessing" she smiled back "Put some music on if you want, girlie stuff I'm afraid" she said going off into the kitchen as Sam visually searched the room and headed to the pod, pressing play as **_'Learn to Let Go' by Kesha_** blasted out at him

"Oh I was having family time before I went out this morning" she laughed, setting the drinks on the coffee table before going over to the pod to choose another play list and leaving **_'Losing' by H.E.R_** playing as they sat on the couch, talking while drinking their hot drinks

"It seems like an age ago since we last spoke, what you been up to?" he asked

"It's been a day" she laughed "Much the same only I study too so I hardly get any time to myself and I'm up that early in the morning I think only the birds know I'm alive sometimes" she laughed "I broke up today though, so I'll get some sleep in the day for a while thank God" she said rolling her eyes

"I'd like us to make some time, to get to know each other that is, what do you say?"

"I really don't know where I'd find the time Sam" she said looking at her hands holding her mug before putting it on the table "But if I had to, I guess I could make myself find time"

"Would you want to try and find some time to be with me?" he asked putting his mug on the table

"Are you asking me to?"

"I guess I am, will you, spend time with me exclusively I mean?"

"Is there really any other way?" she smiled looking into his deep eyes getting lost, when she finally found the strength to pull herself out of them her focus landed on his lips and she could see nothing else as her body willed him to take her lips. " _What the hell are you doing? why are you moving, are you taking control of this Mercy, what the hell are you..._ "Wow" she said and she knew that had come out of her mouth _'Did he just touch me? is he touching me OMG he's touching me it feels like God it feels like... Why are your damn eyes closed, why are they clos... and where the hell are you_ _going?'_ she asked herself as her body started to move towards where she knew Sam was sitting _'what are you doing, stop girl... I said stops now_ "God" she heard herself actually say _'Are these his lips my god I'm on his damn lips and boy does this feel good, you're acting like your some expert at this Miss Jones stop it, I said stop it now, pull away before it's too late, I said pull away now, Now!_ "Yes, I will" she said as Sam pulled her to him and kissed her back for the longest time, she didn't resist

"Did that seal the deal?" he asked as _**'Me and U' by H.I.M**_ came over the airways making them both laugh for a short while before things got serious again and they were making out on the couch in her living room, _'Did that seal the damn deal, were you at the same place I was at boy, this deal is on'_ she caught herself grabbing his lips again and they went to a place they were obviously comfortable at, as Mercy's mind continued to spiral out of control

"So" she finally opened her eyes saying "Releasing the guilt" she sat up saying, trying to get some focus as her mind was in overdrive and her body was doing alien things, making her feel ready

"Yeah I guess I'll start ….." he said, moving uncomfortably in the couch as the door knocked, Mercy sprung up to answer the door "Hi Guys" she said when she opened it to see Santana and Quinn standing there

"We thought we'd visit" Quinn said, a smirk on her face when she saw a red faced Sam sitting on the couch

"Come in" Mercy said looking sheepishly innocent, giving her seat up, smiling when Sam sat straight and moved himself to the end of the couch "Do you guys want a drink?" she asked heading to the kitchen, Sam smiled for her game, he knew she was almost at no turning back point "We were just about to talk guilt" she shouted through the kitchen door to them

"Oohh" Santana said getting her phone out "Noah's on his way" she shouted back seconds later and soon after Mercy's door knocked again

"Hi Guys" he came in looking around the room "Heard our chat was happening" he said looking at Sam "Release the guilt"

"I haven't got enough milk" Mercy shouted out the kitchen

"I'll get some" Noah shouted turning back out the door

"Or cups" she added

"I'll get some" Quinn shouted getting up with her baby attached to her hip

A short while later they were dragged out of conversation by the commotion going on downstairs "Stay there" Sam said to Mercy running off down the stairs as Santana followed him

"Sam did you hear that?" Noah asked leaving his flat too

 **Quinn's Flat**

Just then they heard a baby crying and both ran to Quinn's to see what was going on, her door burst open and she came diving towards them with baby in hand "What happened?" Sam asked her

"I... I told him to leave and he kicked off" she cried "He's smashing my place up, he said he's taking my baby"

"Go upstairs to Mercy, we'll deal with this" Sam advised her as Noah and he gave each other a serious look

"I'm defending " Noah said as they both looked towards Quinn's flat door and nodded before Noah took the first step in

"What's going on Dude?" Noah asked Shane, when he walked in to see him sitting on the couch with his head in his hands "Why are you stressing your girl and your baby?"

"She's getting on my damn nerves, there's only so much disrespect a man can handle about his wife"he said as Noah and Sam looked at each other puzzled

"Quinn's not your girl?" Sam asked

"No she's my baby's Mom why?"

"Seriously Shane we all hear and know this is peak, so what are you going to do?" Noah asked as he sat on the couch next to him

"I want to leave her, but I need to know my only child's getting looked after, and I don't want no other man up in my shit telling my kid anything"

"Have you told her that?" Sam asked

"She keeps telling me to go, but I ain't confident she can do this, or even that I want to leave my child"

"And what does your wife say about this, situation?" Sam asked he was disgusted but couldn't show it

"Why you think I'm here every night, until something changes she really don't want to know"

"So your treating Quinn badly because what, you need to make a decision?" Sam asked

"I suppose that's it, I don't want to be here, I love my wife but I want my baby" he said punching the couch

"It's up to you to make what you want work boss, I never lived with my Dad growing up, but I know he's my Dad because he was always there you know, my Mom's got her life but that didn't faze him, he had me" Sam said looking at Shane as he spoke "You got to stop this life boss it's not good for your child, it's better to not be there than have it like this"

"Yeah" he said looking at Sam "I think the next time she asks, I'm just going to go, no questions" he said rubbing his hands together before wiping his face down and using his top teeth to hold in his bottom lip "Yeah this has got to stop, I don't love her or mean her any good"

"We need to do something about this place, because the baby will need to come back at some point" Noah said looking around "You gonna help clean this up?"

"Yeah" he said as the three guys set about cleaning the place back up

Quinn was upstairs giving Mercy the story, Santana, fed up with telling her constantly to do the same thing, left and went to her flat before she said something she shouldn't "If that's what you want just tell him, Sam and Noah are there now, say it in front of them and make him leave, ask them to get rid of him if you need to, go on" Mercy said more fed up of hearing her empty threats than anything else

"I will" she said putting the baby down on Mercy's couch and leaving her flat to go tell Shane, Mercy looking on in disbelief that she'd left her child on the couch "Shane" she walked back into the flat saying stunned that a clean up was going on "Can we talk?" she asked

"Do you want me to leave?" he asked

"Yes; but you can see Marc any time you want, I just don't need you staying over any more"

"I'll phone to arrange a time to see him and seriously I won't bother you like this any more, and Q" he said with sorry in his eyes "I'm sorry, I've been letting my shit take over me, and taking it out on you sorry" he said walking up to her "You're a good Mom" he said stepping past her and getting to the door "I'll call when I'm coming to pick up my stuff" he said and left

"Shit what did you guys say?" she asked dropping on the couch unable to believe her fight was over

"He said it, he needed to leave you alone, he didn't mean you any good" Noah said as they threw the cushions back on the couch "What the hell" he looked at Sam saying as they heard breaking glass


	2. Chapter 2

**Santana's Flat**

"Is this judgement day or what?" Sam asked as they, all three, went out into the corridor, first expecting to see Shane kicking off but nothing, then Sam thought Mercy's Brother and started running up the stairs three at a time

"Sam!" Noah called when he stood listening outside Santana's flat hearing crying and things smashing "It's Santana" he said "Quinn do you want to knock on?" he asked as she stepped forward and knocked the door

"Tana it's Q let me in" she shouted as she banged the door, it clicked open "Noah and Sam are with me" she added once she was almost inside

"Shit man" Noah said at the state of the place as he and Sam looked around "Santana No" he finally said as he looked around "This is the highest level of nasty I've ever seen" he said still looking around shaking his head "To think my main aim is to be with a girl like you but this" he said almost in shock "Has to change"

"What's the matter girl" Quinn asked, ignoring Noah's comment, she'd seen the mess before

"He's finished with me, via text, because I live in a hostel, can you believe that?" she asked

"I got to get out of here man, I need protective gear for a place like this" Sam said stepping back out of the flat "Santana you need to sit down and make up your mind if you need to be with someone for love or money and stop being so shallow" he said before turning and walking out, "Oh" Sam said stopping as he put his foot on the stairs "Quinn come and get your baby" he said waiting for her to react before moving again, she followed him back up the stairs

 **Mercy's Flat**

"Wow shit kicked off for Miss Nasty as well, her flat is rank" he said to Mercy pushing up his nose

"What happened"

"She's just learned she's not going to be a footballers wife and she's smashing up her place" he laughed

"He left her?"

"Yeah" he said sitting on the couch as Quinn made ready the baby

"Come on we've had that much drama lighting up everyone's business we might as well call that Day 5 done for Quinn and Santana" he said getting up as Mercy brought him a sandwich "Thanks" he said taking it "Really appreciate this" he smiled

"Let's go see what's going on" Mercy said as they left her flat, with sandwiches in hand

 **Santana's Flat**

"What the hell" Sam said as they got to Santana's open door to see her and Noah making out on the couch "Quick work" he said smiling as he looked at their red faces "I got to keep moving I'm eating" Sam said not wanting to be put off his food by the mess in the flat

"Nobody's business but yours girl" Mercy said covering her eyes "But know you can look at yourself in the mirror tomorrow" she laughed

"I've liked her since day one, but she really needs to" he stopped and turned to her "You really need to get this gaff set up and stay on top of it, I can't do this" he said looking around at the mess

"I'm doing life skills" she smiled before getting serious "I can clean I just don't but I will" she said looking around at her mess and broken things

"To mine then" Quinn shouted up as the baby became fidgety

 **Quinn's Flat**

So they sat in Quinn's while she disclosed about her parents break up and how she ran into 35 year old Shane's arms because of her feelings of worthlessness and guilt she hadn't managed to leave behind for her parents brake up. Mercy discussed her brother and the way she felt responsible for him all the while even though the violence was intolerable and the absolute guilt she felt for leaving him alone to fend for himself, feeling that she needed to do something drastic for her own survival. Sam talked about his parents split, the games his Dad, and his new make shift wife, had played on his mother so many times, his strict upbringing around religion which did nothing but turn him away from God at times and he last ditch run to the hostel in need of sanity. Santana told about her wicked step parent, her Dad and the awful things they made her do because her mother was not longer around, how her father blamed her for the death of her mother in child birth and because of that he allowed that woman, his new wife, to do whatever she wanted with her. Noah told pieces of his life still not happy to fully disclose his father's lucrative business venture, mainly for fear of losing the respect of the people he'd so quickly learned to call friends. Everyone feeling at the end of the session that they had truly released their guilt.

"It's past time for bed and I need to get some shut eye for work in the morning" Sam announced pulling Mercy up with him

"You gonna walk me home?" Mercy asked laughing

"Walking home is that what we're calling it now" Quinn laughed

"Yeah" Mercy said

"So before you go Sam" Noah stopped him leaving "What's the theme for the 4th Day?"

"Making your own Christmas" he laughed "Interpret as you like" he said as they left Quinn's to venture upstairs to their own flats

"You coming in?" Mercy asked as they got to their landing

"We were in the middle of something if I remember rightly" he smirked following her into her flat, they quickly got comfortable and started their getting to know you conversation lasting well into the night

 **21stDecember**

 **(4 Days to go) Making your own Christmas**

It was 5.30 am when Sam woke up wondering where he was, finally looking down to see Mercy in his arms and the TV on with **'She' by Keyshia Cole** coming from somewhere, it took him a while to figure out that the music wasn't linked to the random night screen stuff flashing at him, he jerked his arm from underneath her "Sorry" he said when she stirred before he gently put himself back as he was and lay smiling thinking _'I've got my girl'_

"Morning" she said when she stirred "Those damn birds" she said covering her eyes with the quilt before remembering Sam was there

"Morning" he said smiling down at her "Our first night together" he chuckled

"I need the bathroom" she said jumping up off the couch

"Back in a minute" he shouted at her through the bathroom door as he went over to his flat to freshen up, he got back before Mercy exited the bathroom, and was sitting on her couch smiling

"Sorry" she said coming out the bathroom "Morning" she said again going in for a kiss this time "I hate my morning mouth" she smiled

"I guess that's for me to determine not you" he said unable to stop his smile "Breakfast?" he asked

"What do you want?" she asked falling on him on the couch "I've got 90 minutes before work starts" she said looking at her phone

"You get ready I'll make breakfast" he said getting up as she pulled him back to her and kissed him again

"Thanks for last night" she said when she finally let him go

"I didn't do anything" he laughed

"You made me feel safe for the first time in as long as I can remember" she said getting up and walking off into the bedroom

"Hold up" he said jumping up and stopping her as she went to close the door

"I think that's thank you" he said pulling her in for another kiss "For not expecting anything" he smiled letting her go

They ate cereal for breakfast and went to their daily task with a promise of making time to see each other, exchanging contact details

Sam knocked Mercy's door at 5.30 pm that evening with a parcel in his hand "Can I leave these here?" he asked when she opened the door

"Yeah sure" she smiled opening the door fully and taking his kiss as he entered her flat "What is it?" she asked as he went towards her bathroom with the parcel

"It's my wash things and change of clothes for tomorrow morning" he announced

"Really?" she stopped to ask

"Yeah we've got so much to talk about tonight I envisage us falling asleep early hours again and I don't need the drama of going all the way across the hall for a toothbrush" he smiled "No funny business"

"Oh" she said considering what he'd said

"We said we'd make time remember?" he asked

"Yeah, I remember" she smiled, watching him place his things before they left to meet in the office for their task of the day with the others

"Hi guys" Brad said as they got close "Holly's coming with some food and the boss" he laughed

A dark haired guy walked towards them with Holly "I'm Ken Tanaka the Manager here, I'm sure I'll get the chance to meet you all individually over the next few weeks or at least for graduation" he smiled as everyone stood around thinking he was strange

"Burgers" Holly held a tray up "We'll leave you to it if you need anything just call" she said leaving Ken with the group

"We sort of wanted permission really, to plan our own alternative Christmas and sort of wondered if there were any funds to help with that?" Noah asked

"Well I can't give you a figure as such but I guess if you came up with a wish list and let me have a look at it then we've got something to work from but it has to be quick there are only what 4 days to Christmas" he replied

"So as long as we don't go too OTT?" Santana asked smiling with an idea in her head already

"If it's electrical we have a different budget for that, and at this point you may need to speak to one of the Support Workers about that"

"Okay Mr Tanaka, thank you for meeting with us" Mercy said as they made the group smaller indicating they had finished their request session

"He didn't really give us anything did he?" Quinn confirmed not impressed

"We can do a plan" Noah commented trying to keep everyone interested

"Okay can anyone cook?" Sam asked

"Yeah" everyone answered back together

"So we could get the ingredients for a Christmas dinner together and make our own dinner to share with those that are staying yeah?" Sam asked

"Okay we could do that" Mercy smiled at him

"I'll do the turkey" Santana volunteered

"No disrespect girl but if your cooking in that mess I saw yesterday I'm not eating" Sam told her as Noah tried to signal him to stop the conversation

"I told you all yesterday why that shit was happening, and I promised to turn a leaf, so I guess Mr Perfect, you'll need to give me a chance, and if you don't like the turkey, it's peak for you" she said laughing

"Ooohhhh" Mercy said looking at Sam "Peak for you" she mimicked making Sam laugh

"Okay lets say for argument sake Santana's doing the Turkey, if that has to be done at mine that's fine" Noah added

"I'll do all the veg" Mercy said

"I'll do the soup starter" Quinn added

"We're having a starter?" Noah asked rubbing his hands together "Peaked" he smiled at Quinn saying

"Okay so I'll do the pudding then" Sam offered

"And if you're going to make it in that clinically clean flat of yours, I for one..." Santana couldn't carry on she burst out laughing

"I ain't got OCD" Sam told her "What because I like to keep rodents away I'm too clean?" he laughed

"That just leaves the drinks for me then" Noah smiled

"We can't have alcohol drinks on site remember?" Mercy asked

"Virgin Cocktails" he said winking at them as he spoke

"There's our Day 3 quest" Sam said as everyone looked on blankly "After Life skills tomorrow we name our Christmas Cocktails, so I'll ask the staff to provide us with Juices and fizzy drinks and stuff and we'll make and name our concoctions, then we vote on the best one for our miss mash Christmas Day"

"Okay so we're generally agreed on the Dinner thing three course yeah?" Noah asked as everyone agreed and he wrote down a traditional meal list "Everyone agreed on this list?" he asked as she started reading the list though "I'll ask Holly to get the Money for us then and we can shop closer to the day, yeah?"

"Fine" Everyone agreed, there was more conversation while the guys played Pool with some of the other residents, while the girls did some nail art before they went back to their block

"Okay we're out of here" Noah said pulling Santana with him, stopping to converse with Holly on the way

"Yep I'm off" Sam announced turning to Mercy "You going up?" he asked, knowing full well she was because they were going to talk all night again he'd said earlier, she didn't answer just held her hand out for him to help her up and they said their good nights and left for her flat

 **Mercy's Flat**

"I had a great time tonight" Sam said as he flopped in Mercy's couch and she fell on his lap

"I've wanted to do this all evening" she said grabbing his lips with hers as they fell into each other "I've got the morning off tomorrow I start at 1 pm so we can talk all night" she said when she finally let him up "Or whatever" she said giving him the eye

"Hell of a night, sparks all over the place" he laughed "Did you notice Noah and Santana not letting each other go an inch?"

"Yeah I was a bit jealous" she admitted "You not holding me like that"

"Sorry" Sam said jumping up _'Damn'_ he thought hoping that she hadn't notice that about him, his upbringing didn't really allow for touchy feely and he really didn't know how he felt about doing that in public. He wasn't a virgin or anything like that, god he was 22, but he hadn't been intimate in the streets or anything like that either, it wasn't the done thing. He really didn't want to get into this with her right now, he was having a great time "That will change" he said shyly

Mercy, seeing the awkward in him, quickly changed the subject "I think alternative Christmas is fast becoming my favourite time of year" she said leaning in and grabbing his lips again "Do you want to just chill and watch a film?" she pulled away asking when the make out session got to an uncomfortable level

"Yeah" he replied "But nothing raunchy"

"Seriously?" she asked "I really don't do raunchy" she giggled as she got up to go get the film _'Any damn raunchier and I seriously feel sorry for your man parts'_ she thought "Fourth Man Out, have you seen it?" she held the DVD up asking

"No"

"It's about a guy coming out, but there's this real cutie Nick in it, I just have to stare at him" she said all dreamy

"Really, as cute as me?" he frowned

"I guess you could give him a run for his money, plus your here in the flesh and you give good kisses" she laughed

"Okay" he smiled "Now we've established I'm better than him I'd love to watch it" he laughed as she slipped the film in and got soft drinks from the fridge with nibbles and settled in to watch the film _'I'm watching the film God knows I'm watching the damn film but I need to be watching her, look at how she licks her lips, she wants me on them I know she does, get that down Sam, get that down now, how typical'_ he thought rolling his eyes as he moved uncomfortably _'I know she can feel my heart beating one thousand to the dozen in there that's because she's so damn close. This feeling is so fucking alien I'd dare to call it lo.., is this lo...v...e, I'm scared, excited_ "Yeah funny" he laughed as he heard her laugh at something in the film _'Where was I? love, aroused, happy, too happy for someone who hasn't seen his so called family in over a week, do I care? about her, yes I do, don't be a weakling about this just tell her straight_

"What would you rate it?" she looked up asking him as he looked and saw the credits going up

"That was fun"

"This is fun" she said grabbing his lips again "That was a movie" she corrected him "I'd put some music on but curfew is on and the baby's underneath us"

"Mercy I got to tell you before I burst, I think this thing between us is something, I'm not really familiar with this feeling, but we click I mean I'm doing things and saying things I don't normally do and I have to trust this instinct of mine"

"Sam we've known each other 3 days lets just give it time to settle"

"Am I freaking you out?" _'God I'm freaking her out I'm freaking out'_

"No, it's just well, we just started seeing each other, I don't want to rush into anything" _'Yes, please rush with front flips, backflips and 100 metre sprints'_

"What are we saying here?"

"I don't want to sleep with you yet, when technically, we haven't even had a date yet" she said looking down at her hands

"My brain hasn't gone that far yet Mercy" _'My body has'_ "I'm maybe at go out and get something to eat together stage, I'm fine making out here but I wasn't brought up to do things like that outdoors if you know what I mean, and sex well, I'm no stranger to it but there's stuff I need to feel happening for us before that comes into the equation"

"Sorry" she said looking up at him again

"No, I'm sorry if I led you to believe that was my intention from the off, we both accept it's not going to happen overnight" he said grabbing her hands "I swore to myself I wouldn't treat a woman like my Dad treated my Mom, and after trying other ways, I realise I need the whole love thing and I need to know it's real before I take giant steps" he said lifting her face up to look at him "Sorry" he said kissing her again

"Don't be actually you've put my mind at ease" she smiled

"But I mean what I say I think this could be going somewhere" he said as they cuddled and got into finding out much more about each other into the morning. At about 6 am Sam suggested they get some sleep to function later and they fell asleep again on the couch in each others arms

 **22nd December**

 **(3 Days to go) Name your Christmas Drink**

"Sam" Mercy said some time later "I'm off to work just shut the door after you, if you leave" she said kissing his forehead as she spoke, he pulled her to him and kissed her on the lips

"Later" he said smiling

Mercy left her flat thinking about the conversation they'd had _'I do feel something for him and it's strong but I can't go into this with rose coloured glasses I need to get myself sorted out, I need to get these life skills things done, get my housing application sorted and get my own place for crying out loud, who the hell finds love in a hostel'_ she asked herself laughing at the fact that she might well of done just that "Morning" she said to some random woman getting off the bus she was waiting to get on _'What is wrong with me'_ she laughed making her way to work

'Stop over thinking' Sam's message said as she checked before she went into work _'How did he even know I was thinking about him?'_ she questioned with a smile. Her afternoon shift went fast, her two fifteen minute brakes consisted of a cup of coffee and a chat with Sam, sitting in the storeroom waiting for orders to come up seemed suddenly like the perfect job as she got so much spare time with all the Christmas help the store had taken on. Pretty soon she was on her way back to the hostel, to Sam

"Hey" she said smiling as she opened her flat door to see him sitting on her couch

"Hey, I cooked" he said walking up to her for his kiss

"Seriously" she laughed nodding her head "I could get so used to this"

"I though we should line our belly's for the cocktail tasting thing later on" he said giving his cheeky grin

"It's Fizzy and juice Sam" she giggled

"l know but it can still do something to your insides"

"I guess" she said reflecting on what he'd said "What time are we meeting everyone?"

"Life skills at 10" he let go of her to go sort the dinner out

They had their meal, Mercy changed her clothes and they sat around enjoying each others company until it was time to go to Quinn's, they grabbed their folders and went downstairs "I'm in so much trouble I haven't touched this since the other day" she told him as they walked down the stairs

Two hours later Noah announced "So we're agreed this module is complete except for photos, can they be taken tomorrow?" he asked as everyone nodded a yes "One down four to go" he smiled "Now" he said his eyes getting wider as he spoke, his deep set blue eyes, sort of pealed clothes off you if you were the right girl for him, and he was constantly doing that to Santana "The naming of the Christmas drink" he said getting up and presenting with a small bottle of Jack Daniels

"Noah" Mercy shouted across the room "You need to get rid of it, I'm not into breaking rules"

"Listen" he said calming her down with his hands as Sam signalled for him not to do that "Sorry Mercy" he said taking the hint "I'm not asking anyone to indulge but my cocktail might need heat" he laughed nervously "Whose first?" he asked putting it on the table for anyone who wanted to use it

"I'll go" Quinn said getting up and going to the table to mix her drink "Okay" she said turning round with a white mixture in her Jug "My Christmas drink is called 'Never a fucking gain" making everyone laugh "Because once I drink this on Christmas Day I promise myself that I will never again pick up a man that is no damn good for me or my baby boy" she said pouring a paper cup full to each person before saying her cheers, everyone drunk it

"It's milk" Noah laughed wiping his mouth

"Yes to remind me of my responsibilities" she smiled

"I have to give you a hug girl" Mercy got up saying and giving her one as everyone else went in afterwards and did the same

"Me next" Santana got up saying, as Noah rolled his eyes "What?" she asked him smiling as she turned to the table to make her cocktail "My Christmas drink is called, wait for it" she laughed "Now stick a broom up your own damn ass" she laughed "Dedicated to my wicked step Mom" she said as she emptied the jug of Lime juice and vinegar into the cups

"God, Santana we can't drink this, it's rank" Sam said spitting it out

"I know I want to pour it down the toilet" she laughed

"Go girl" Noah shouted after her as she exited for the bathroom to do exactly that and they followed

"I guess it's looking like ladies first so I'll go next" Mercy said getting up and going to the table to mix her concoction "My Christmas drink is called, 'Get off my Damn Back" she announced "Obviously talking to my big Bro" she added sharing her drink as everyone cheered

"It's actually quite nice you used cranberry and ginger nice" Sam said smiling at her before finishing the cupful

Noah got up and took the last bit out of the jug before saying "I guess I'll go next" and turning to make his concoction "Christmas for me was always full of presents, family, friends and stuff this year my family are gone, those friends have gone and as far as I know I have no presents and I'm still standing, and dare I say happy so I guess my Christmas drink is called 'In your fucking face" he smiled holding the jug up before pouring to everyone

"It's apple juice" Sam said being the first to taste it

"Just apple juice?" Mercy asked as Sam nodded before she drunk some "It is" she laughed "So what's with the alcohol?"

"Everyone should have the choice" he smiled

"It's me" Sam jumped up saying "My Christmas drink" he said pausing as he put it together "Is called 'Please don't fucking Pray" he laughed "Dedicated to my Mom, but I guess my Dad would be happy to hear me say it"

"What is that, blood of Carrie?" Mercy asked laughing

"Yep it's pigs blood" he smiled before laughing with her as everyone else sat watching, wondering what the joke was as they looked at the orange juice in his jug

"So lets agree then" Quinn said after they drunk Sam's orange juice "Which one for Christmas Day, vote" she said when she realised they weren't going to share the joke

"I like the phrase 'Never a fucking gain, but" Noah said holding his finger up "I really like Mercy's drink"

"Yeah I liked Mercy's drink" Sam said smiling with her

"I actually liked it too so, if you want, I'll offer my name over for Mercy's drink" Quinn said as everyone cheered

"Okay the drink with a French twist" Sam said

"French?" Quinn and Mercy questioned

"Yeah never a fucking gain, French as in pardon my?" he told them puzzled that they didn't get it

"So Noah" Santana said, ignoring Sam's conversation "You need to tell staff which drinks we need"

"I know that, I'm in charge of drinks"

"Guys it like 1 am in the morning, I'm off to sleep" Sam said grabbing Mercy's hand

"You guys an item?" Quinn asked smiling

"Yeah" Sam said smiling at her, Mercy noting he'd said that in public "We really don't want to make a song and dance about it right now, we're just starting out"

"That's fine, I won't say anything" she told them as Noah and Santana sat smiling

"2nd Day quest" Sam said "Feel like doing something about it?" he smiled as everyone looked on questioningly "Sing" he smiled "Come with a song tomorrow at 8pm at Noah's place, how you feel after your revelation, sing about it" he announced

"Great stuff I'm up for that" Quinn laughed excitedly while everyone made ready to leave and good nights were said

 **Sam's Flat**

"Come with me" Sam said, he'd got Mercy's hand so he really didn't give her much choice "I just need to get something" he said

"I got to do my washing tomorrow, it's piling up" Mercy said looking at his pile of ironed clothes on the stool in the kitchen "Why are you so damn organised?"

"I'm afraid its a product of my past, Mom had a thing about mess, with her kick off's you sort of never wanted to go there, so I just kept it clean you know" he smiled nervously "I wish I could say it was OCD but its more like DSM" he giggled

"DSM?" Mercy asked

"Damn Scared of Mom" he laughed

"Your crazy Sam Evans" she said laughing hard

"I can get worse" he smiled grabbing his guitar and clean underwear before they left for her flat, settling in for more making out, conversation and hugs

"I'm going to bed" Mercy finally announced "This couch is doing my back in"

"I've got no PJ's"

"That's fine we can sleep fully dressed on top of the covers" she said as Sam jumped up to follow her

 **23rd December**

 **(2 Days to go) Have a sing about it**

"I'll see you later" Sam whispered in her ear as he got up to get to work

"Later, come with song" she smiled her eyes still shut as she spoke "I've got like 30 minutes left before I have to get up" she said finally opening her eyes "Come here" she smiled at him saying as she pulled him in for a kiss

"I like your morning mouth" he smiled before going back in for more "later" he finally said and left the flat

Mercy was up and just leaving the bathroom when her phone rang, thinking it was Sam she ran to get it to hear her workplace on the line telling her the warehouse was flooded due to a burst pipe, so she shouldn't come in. She closed the call down and stood looking around the flat for what it was exactly she was going to do for the rest of the day "Mercy" she heard at the door before the bell rang, it was a female so she went to answer it on calling out she heard it was Santana

"Hi" she said as she opened the door to her "To what do I owe this pleasure?" she smiled

"I needed some straight chat, and I thought of you"

"Me?" she spun round asking

"Don't even go there girl, _There are dead people living in your place girl_ " she mimicked Mercy saying on their first meeting

"Okay I take that, give it to me straight" Mercy said looking at her "Do you need a drink or anything?"

"Just a non-judgemental ear for now" Santana said patting the couch she'd just sat on as Mercy took the seat "I slept with Noah last night" she said as a tear came to her eye

"God Santana did you even want that?" she asked touching her hand as she spoke

"God yeah I so wanted that, so much so it scared me, but I've just never met a guy and slept with him in less than a damn week before, and I can't help thinking he'll be thinking I'm a slut or something"

"What happened did he call you names afterwards?"

"No nothing like that it's just the way I feel I guess, he's been great" she smiled "I don't know what it is but we've got a connection you know, I felt it the first time I saw him but I was with Dave and I had other things on my mind then, it took me five weeks to sleep with him and five days with Noah and honestly I feel more for him than I ever did for Dave"

"So Noah hasn't said anything to make you think he thinks anything less of you today than he did yesterday?"

"No, not at all it's me I feel fucked up"

"Well Sam thinks he's an alright guy and he has good insight, I guess you'll have to trust the feeling" Mercy said making her think about her own situation as she said it "You know I didn't come into a hostel to find a relationship either but I guess at the bottom of your life might be a good place to start from with someone and draw your own history"

"I really don't know him yet but there is something there and I guess I want to go ahead and find out what that is"

"And you know what" Mercy said sitting up "Look him in the eye and ask him exactly what he thinks about you two sleeping together already, he might surprise you" she smiled

"He just might sooo" she turned to look directly into Mercy's eyes saying "What's the deal with you and Sam?"

"Getting to know each other, I guess we're taking the slow route" Mercy laughed thinking about their conversation the other night "All the signs are there I guess it's just taking the plunge for both of us" she giggled "But we'll talk about it before it happens I guess" she smiled

"Lots of guess work going on there" she giggled getting up "I really didn't want to go to Q with this she's just broke up with her whatever and I thought it might be too raw" she said going in for a hug from Mercy "So thank you so much for listening to my rant" she said leaving the flat

Mercy was left with her thoughts _'I just spouted so much bull shit to Quinn, I need to listen to that stuff myself, I'm telling her to dive in and see what she has and here I am standing on the side lines scared to even dip my toe in the water to find out what I've gotten myself into. Sam's cool I like him, I think it's a bit more than like Mercy come on;_ "She chuckled to herself ' _I guess I want him so much it scares me; I mean you've been with guys that have lied, cheated, hurt, disrespected, thugs, everything and you find a nice guy and you question it what the hell is that about? You know what? you know you want this guy, you think? he's said he wants you too, so come on girl lets do this. God Mercy you told him every family secret in less than a damn hot minute you don't do things like that with just anybody, he means something to you, he means a lot to you, sort it'_ she smiled satisfied with her decision as she pottered about for the rest of the day doing something for Sam to eat when he arrived back, and searching for her song for the evening. Sam came in ate the food, went to his place for a shower and went back to Mercy's to settle in for some quality time before the sing fest

"It's nearly 8pm let's go" he said, rushing to change the mood because he was at breaking point with this make out session, she was hot. He looked back at Mercy sitting looking at him suspect and figured maybe he looked a bit too enthusiastically for her liking, but he was in trouble below cool down was necessary. He smiled when she made the decision to go with him rather than pull him back, they were the last to arrive at Noah's flat

"At last" Noah shouted holding his head "Sam help for Christ sake, my ears are bleeding from the girly stuff man talk please" he laughed

"Well I've got one straight away" Quinn laughed putting her pod on and the group watched her "Tana I know you'll want to sing too, and Mercy you can join in if you want" she giggled

"What we singing?" Santana asked watching Quinn put the phone in the pod before the music started, Quinn started singing their version of **_'Shout out to my Ex' by Little Mix_** Mercy and Santana joined in for the chorus, Santana took the second verse and Noah and Sam did the bits in the background as everyone danced around and Sam took video's and pictures

"I'm seriously feeling that girl" Santana said going for Noah when they finished as Mercy laughed the whole thing off

"A tad premature if you ask me" Noah said as Sam nodded in agreement "Okay this one's to Santana because I know how she thinks" he announced

"You do?" she asked him

"Well I know you're into material things and well, that's not me but I so want you to be into me" he said shyly kissing her as the music started, he started singing his version of **_'Famous' by Nathan Sykes_** speaking to Santana as he sung

"Heavy Dude" Sam said knocking fists with him when he finished "Loving that voice" he said looking at Santana

"I don't think I care about fame any more" she said going up to Noah for a kiss

"Wooo" Everyone said

"I got one to do with Quinn" Noah said when he finished his kiss "Come on lets do this" he said calling everyone to do a group thing as they danced about grabbing Quinn or the baby to dance around to their version of **_'The Rock-a-bye' by_** **_Clean bandit Ft Sean Paul & Ann Marie _**Just as they got into the last chorus Brad and Holly appeared in the doorway obviously alerted by the noise as Quinn had just finished singing her turn on the female bit and Noah did his bit on the rap

"Yeah" Holly and Brad shouted as their dancing came to a halt"

"Quinn I hope you get what I'm trying to say there" Noah told her

"I get it Noah" she laughed

"Sam, Mercy you guys got something to sing about" Noah shouted over to them, a bit breathless for all the dancing

"Yeah" Sam said coming forward "I guess this one sort of says what I'm feeling right now, Mercy you want to take this one with me?" he smiled putting his phone in the pod as he started singing his version of **_'Certain Things' by James Arthur & Chasing Grace_** Mercy joined in singing to the end

"Whoo" Quinn said for the eyes those two were putting on each other

"Mercy" Brad shouted when they finished 'Homeless' he mouthed jumping around "Perfect" he smiled as Sam pulled her to him smiling himself, and staff left them to it

"I got to say it Mercy" he said in her ear "I want to be yours" he said hugging her in front of everyone

"Sam" she said looking around as he pulled her to him and kissed her "I have a song" she broke away from him saying, he smiled at her getting away from him and looking so cutely embarrassed, he knew he was coming on strong, he wanted to. "I'll sing my version of one of my favourite Diva's **_'Never Ever' by Monica & Jeezy _**guys can you help me?" she cleared her throat before she made for the middle of the room to do her thing, as Sam started her song when he heard the beat, rocking and wondering what was going on for her as she sung about him not loving her _'Trippin? I'm trippin any closer and we'd be having sex'_ he was rocking to the music thinking _'hold up is that what she's asking for? Listen!'_ _he shouted at himself internally_ _'This isn't about sex, it's about love she's telling you she loves you right the hell back'_ _he smiled looking back at her to see she was actually singing to him_ ** _"You and I sound so right..."_** "I love you already"

 ** _"Aright, Alright, Alright okay..."_ ** he sung smiling as Noah and he took it in turns, _'I'm gonna man up and tell her straight after this'_ he told himself bringing a nervous smile as he blushed at the thought of it, dancing around the room

"Wow" everyone said as she came to a close on her song

"Way too exposed for me" Quinn said clapping for longer than everyone else

"Loved it Mercy, your fantastic, let's update staff on what we need" Santana announced as everyone grabbed something and left the flat and the block to get to the office before staff left 10pm "Brad" she screamed when they entered the office

"Santana" he called back

"Sorry Brad" Sam said looking at Santana "We just needed to give this list in so we can get the money for maybe tomorrow to do the shopping for Christmas, we're doing a dinner" he said as Noah handed Brad the list

"I'll speak to Ken first thing and you can get the money by about 9.30 tomorrow morning remember it's Christmas so you'll need to shop early"

"We will, goodnight" they said as they left the office to return to their block walking and talking as they went

"Q" she heard and instinctively knew it was Shane

"I thought you were going to call before you came to collect your things?" she asked looking around at everyone saying everything with the look, he took his child up and played with him for a while, everyone either stood or sat near by watching for a while before his attention went back to Quinn

"We need to talk" he told her

"About?"

"I might have been hasty the other day"

"You were right the other day Shay, that choice was mine and I stick by it"

"I need to talk to you, I said " he stepped to her

"I don't want to talk to you" she said stepping back as Sam and Noah looked at each other

"I'll come back when these goons aren't around" he told her backing up and staring at her as he went

"Lets leave that Goon to himself, come on let's go to yours and get this tree up for Marc, he needs something exciting in his life" Noah said excited for the decorating as they went into the block and headed to Quinn's flat "I used to love Christmas when I was a child" he smiled "All the smells of cooking, presents, visitors and Mom and Dad so happy" he told them as they made ready the tree

"Christmas for me was more about cleaning for more people, when those sad relatives who also thought it was my place to clean came round to make more damn mess, the washing up was oh my god" Santana said throwing her hands up in the air "We never had anything like this" she said putting decorations on the tree

"The few good one's I remember my Dad was there, we were laughing, Mom cooking and my little brothers was laying in his crib gurgling" Quinn said smiling at the memory

"You have a brother?" Mercy asked

"I did he was born sick and died when he was 5 years old, we knew it was going to happen but it still managed to split Mom and Dad up" she looked around saying "He was with that damn man before he left Mom, I knew he was, I'd seen him before that day he came for him"

"Your Dad left…" Sam tapered off from saying as Mercy gave him the eye "I had a normal childhood Christmas that first few years, my Dad tells me, apparently they were in love then, but then he started going out with bitch features and every Christmas after he left all I remember was going to church, reading the new bible my Mom brought me every year and going off to Dad's for some cardboard meat and watery veg and pretending it was fun to watch everyone look at presents, she never took the time to wrap presents" Sam informed the group as he lay his head in Mercy's lap while she stroked his hair

"We had visitors, that's all I remember we opened our present first thing in the morning, made our own breakfast and then made our own entertainment for the rest of the day while Mom and Dad played at being the perfect hosts" she giggled as she remembered "Then straight after dinner we'd be sent to bed and the music would get louder along with the talking" Mercy said looking down at Sam

"We need to talk" Sam said looking up at her

"That's not funny" she giggled

"What's not funny?"

"Making fun of Shane like that" she laughed

"No I mean we need to talk" he confirmed pointing at himself and her

"Oh sorry yeah later" she said covering her mouth for the mistake

"Don't that look beautiful I can't wait to see Marc's face in the morning" Quinn said "Thanks guys" she said as she hugged everyone

"So" Mercy looked down at Sam asking "What's tomorrow's challenge?"

"I guess tomorrow's Marc's day we give him a Christmas to remember" he smiled "Yeah" he nodded pleased with himself "And us I guess"

"I'm up for that" Santana told everyone, they agreed and settled in to watch the movie Quinn put on most falling asleep, that night everyone slept at Quinn's waiting for Shane to come back, but he didn't

 **24th December**

 **(1 Day to go) Help a Child Remember**

"He's awake" Quinn came running out the bedroom saying as everyone came to attention near the tree with their mobiles in hand waiting for that face of surprise "Ready?" she asked as she went back in to go get him and Sam turned the tree lights on for him "Look at this" Quinn said to him in her best baby voice as little Marc's face lit up much brighter than the tree, bringing tears for the girls

"It's really messed up that the day before Christmas we're having to keep visual over a child and it's mother, don't you just feel like Mary?" Noah asked Quinn making everyone laugh, lightening the air

"I thought we'd done all the talking we needed to do there, and then he turns up again making demands and insinuating threats" Sam commented looking at Noah

"I'm just going to see staff, I'll be back in a bit" Noah said leaving the flat returning a short while later with the funds for the Christmas Day activities "Let's all go shopping" he said holding the money up, as everyone took it in turns to go get dressed and return back to Quinn's not leaving her alone for a minute.

"We need to talk" Sam reminded Mercy

"Yeah I remember" she smiled "We'll make time today yeah?"

"Yeah" he smiled back

The girls hit the high street with a vengeance, they hadn't really gotten the chance to buy anything for their new significant others so there was a lot of secrecy. Noah and Sam popped into a shop leaving the girls sitting on a bench near by, Mercy on a high, they'd just had their first public kiss, so they sat excitedly chatting away for the alternative Christmas they were going to have

"Mercy" she heard and she knew it was Andrew standing not far from her as she turned to look at him

"Andrew" she said looking up at him as Quinn and Santana took the defence "What are you doing here?"

"Shopping" he laughed "Or should I say shop lifting" he said taking in the two girls sitting with her "I've been looking for you" he smiled at her saying

"What do you want?" she asked almost scared to ask it

"You know what I want sis" his 'don't make me ask' face coming out for all to see. He looked like Mercy across the eyes but his face and clothes were unkempt, his thick beard made it difficult to see his full expression and his obvious need for drugs meant he wasn't staying still long enough for the girls to catch a full glance at him without seeming cheeky.

"I don't have any money for you Andrew" she said concerned that he'd kick off right there, which he didn't disappoint in doing, the first sound making her jump

"I said don't make me ask!" he bellowed at the top of his voice as everyone looked round in the mall as the three girls sat on the bench looking up at him, ready

"Problem?" Sam came up to them asking with Noah standing close

"Sam" Mercy said getting up to be nearer to him "This is Andrew, my brother" she told him before grabbing hold of his arm with such force he looked at her

"It's alright" he said grabbing the hand that clamped his arm and removing it long enough to take her by the hand "I'm Sam" he said holding his hand out as Andrew stood watching their hands, clearly unable to register things in his head quick enough "Andrew yeah" he asked again

"Andrew!" Mercy shouted and he focused on them

"Puck" he said smiling as Sam and Mercy looked on thinking he'd flipped "Puck my man long time" he said smiling "What you doing here?" he asked as Sam looked behind him at Noah who was smiling back at Andrew

"You know him?" Sam asked

"Yeah he..." Noah started before he realised who he was speaking to

"Puck" Andrew said excited "Where did your Dad go Bro, he just dropped us all like that, bad business man, we rely on him and shit" Andrew informed him

"You know Noah?" Mercy asked

"Yeah his Dad supplied my stuff but he just up and left one day" Andrew told her as everyone spun round to look at a red faced Noah, his face boiling as he felt Santana let him go

"Tana listen to me" he said grabbing after her as she backed away from him

"No Noah you lied to me, to us"

"I didn't lie I just didn't, couldn't tell you everything please guys just hear me out"

"Andrew is it?" Quinn asked as everyone stood around looking at Noah "You need to leave us alone, we've got a new family now and well seriously, you're not invited, so go find some den and make new friends" she said stepping past him "I'm done with this scared shit now" she said grabbing Mercy's arm and walking off with her leaving Sam, Noah and Santana standing, they'd took about 10 steps before Quinn turned "Are you guys coming?" she flicked her blond hair back asking

"Mercy" Andrew called but she didn't respond "You'll regret this" he shouted after her

They got outside the mall called a cab and made their way back to the hostel, Santana was still angry and went straight to her flat banging doors as she went. Mercy threw the bags on Sam and followed Quinn and Marc to Santana's flat, Quinn banged the door obvious her patience was thin and the door nearly sprung open "Obviously whatever is going on with Noah is deeper than he can actually share right now, and if you care about him like you say you do you'd take the time to listen to his shit"

"I'm sick of guys treating me like some sort of fucking rag Q, we slept together what sort of secrets should he have from me if all the things he told me to get me into bed were true?" she asked crying, Mercy wasn't really listening she was looking around the flat thinking, it wasn't even that bad, she could eat from this place, when the door knocked again

"Shall I open it?" Mercy asked, Santana nodded and she went towards the door opening it to reveal Sam and Noah, she simply moved aside and let them in

"Look Tana I'm not asking you to accept an apology just yet, I just need to tell the truth will you listen to me, please?" he asked as he walked towards her

"Just talk" she said shaking his hand off her arm

Noah stood in the middle of the room telling them all about his Dad's shady lifestyle how he learned about it when he came from college one day to find the supplier in the house and how ashamed he was that children's lives were being seriously affected by his Dad's activities. He'd fought with him three times following conversations about his activities and in the end his Dad came in one day, obviously because he was just fed up of Mom crying all the time for where the drugs was taking their relationship, gave him some money and told him to go and stay underground. How it was easy to get rid of his so called friends because he didn't have access to his Dad's stash any more and they soon found that out and left him alone" he finally looked up saying "I think if I'd have been anyone else but his son, I wouldn't be standing here now, people just don't get out this easy"

"So he sort of disowned you?" she turned saying

"I guess you could call it that, they sold the house and moved I have no idea where they are"

"Noah, I'm sorry" she said going in to hug him, as Mercy moved towards Sam and he grabbed hold of her pulling her to sit with him

"Sam" A voice came at him as he looked up to see Holly standing at the door with his Mom at her side

"Mom" he said shocked "What are you doing here?" he jumped up asking as he looked back for a second at Mercy

"Well my son seems to have forgotten that he has a mother, you didn't even go to your Dad's birthday meal" she said as Sam went in for a hug "And who is that black girl you were laying all over?" she asked looking past him to the couch where Mercy sat, on hearing that Holly decide to stay and listen to the conversation that was about to unfold

"Mrs Evans…." Mercy jumped up and went towards her saying as Sam pulled her back

"No Mercy don't do that" he said holding onto her

"Why?" she asked looking up at him

"Tell her why Mom?" he said not taking his eyes off his Mom

"I don't apologise for it, I don't like black people"

"For what reason?" Mercy asked standing waiting for his Mother to answer

"I just don't like you people" she said still unable to look at Mercy as she spoke "Sam can we talk somewhere private?" she asked looking at him with venom in her eyes

"Sure you can say what you want here Mom, these people are my friends" he said looking around "And this is Mercy my girlfriend" he said as he looked down at her his grab now changed to a hug

"You dare to stand there with that ….. that…" she couldn't find the words to say in front of her, as she looked around the room and saw Noah and Santana and gasped "What have you done to yourself son?" she said shaking her head "I thought you were better than this"

"Better than what Mom?" Sam almost shouted he was so angry

"Mixing with these damn people son" she almost screamed the last word as she saw Marc crawl out of the bedroom, climbing up his Mom Quinn the only other person she's looked at in the eye in the room, and gasped at the sight of the duel heritage child

"Mom" he said, before he was mentally reminded of everyone standing around when Mercy squeezed his arm "I love you I really do you're my Mother, but I hate your ways so much it makes me want to literally walk away from you every time you speak" he stepped forward saying "And I know you're going to slap me for saying that, but whatever you do you need to know if you seriously want me to stay in your life you need to respect my friends and specifically my girlfriend

"I just wanted you to come home for Christmas dinner go to church and stuff the traditional stuff we always do and your Dad's expecting you too"

"I'm not coming home for Christmas Mom, I'm staying with my these guys" he said looking round at them "If we're invited for New Year Mercy and I might turn up though" he smiled at his Mom as she looked on as if she didn't understand

"I'm not inviting black people to my house Sam" she said angry at him for telling her that in front of everyone

"Then you're not seeing me"

"Fine" she said walking straight back out the door she'd come in down the stairs and out the door

"Sam" Mercy said looking up at him "You should go after her"

"No, she should have apologised to all of you" he corrected her "And I don't want to think about her again until I have to" he turned saying to everyone in the room

"You alright Sam, you know staff are in the office if you need to talk" Holly said as Sam nodded

"I would have liked an heads up on that" he told her "Now she'll be popping in every damn chance she gets, vulnerable people" he said pointing at himself "Safeguarding ring any bells" he asked

"I'm sorry Sam I just thought…... well she didn't make out she was like that down in the office" she told him, he nodded his head and grabbed Mercy, Holly took that as the conversation had finished and left the building

"We need to talk" he told Mercy as they linked hands

"Guys we're upstairs for a minute, Quinn I think you should maybe sleep at mine tonight, it's the hardest to get into" Mercy said as they left the flat "What is it?" she turned to ask Sam before her door even shut

"I don't actually know what's going on with me right now" he said attacking her lips "If Quinn's at yours can we do mine?"

"Yeah sure" she said smiling

"I'm sorry I just needed to kiss you and I'm still..."

"Whatever we do it's not wrong Sam" she butted in knowing this was way past awkward for him right now

"I know I just.." he went in for his kiss and took every one Mercy was giving "I sort of think I want to be able to do that wherever we are, I mean I did it earlier and thought about it for ages afterwards and well, I didn't die did I?" He asked smiling "Would you mind?"

"Not at all, I've been thinking about us as well and I guess we have a conversation to have later"

"I was hoping to have one later too" he smiled chickening out of his moment "Come on lets go set the tasks for tomorrow" he said grabbing her hand as they headed back downstairs to Santana's flat

"Can we go on a date tonight?" she asked as they made their way down the stairs

"Yeah sure, club yeah?" he asked as they got to their destination "Guys" he said when he got inside "Something a bit different for tomorrow on the rebirth project" he said looking at everyone semi-excited for the night ahead "Quinn your theme is Decision " he smiled as she looked blankly at him "Noah yours is Apology" he said fist bumping him "Mercy yours is Breathe" he smiled "Santana I'm giving you Feelings " he frowned "And I'll take Relationship"

"Which is fine but what do we do with them ?" Quinn asked

"It's our contribution to our alternative family Christmas day, see if we can't make this one a Christmas we want to actually remember" he laughed "I got some presents to wrap so I'll see you guys later for preps" he smiled kissing Mercy and leaving the flat

"I guess we all have that to do" Noah added as he kissed Santana and left too

"We get the hint" Quinn laughed, Mercy and her left for their flats too

 **Later**

"Hi Q" Santana returned saying as she entered hands full of presents and a box with a Turkey in "Can I put the Turkey in your oven as I was going to stop here tonight with you and I don't fancy the running around?"

"Sorry Tana, Mercy offered me upstairs for tonight and I have all intentions of taking her up on it, I need sleep" she giggled at the knowing look Santana gave her

"Quinn, which table can I put these on?" Noah came walking in asking piled high with presents and two bags with drinks in "I've got another box to come" he informed her

"Presents under the tree and the drinks over here" she said pointing to her table she'd moved to the other side of the room under the window

"We heard that" Sam said as Mercy followed him in, he put the presents under the tree while Mercy started her conversation

"The key" Mercy told Quinn as she dropped it into her waiting hand "We're going out tonight, our first official date" she smiled as everyone looked round

"Good for you" Quinn said smiling back

"I've taken everything I'll need for tonight already, so you shouldn't be disturbed and I've set up the bed all safe and stuff, well Sam did" she said smiling at him "So we're going to have a bit of a happy hour after everything we've been through today" she laughed


	3. Chapter 3

**The Club**

After much negotiation they decided to go to Frizz, apart from the amount they'd already spent on the taxi, which was just taking them from place to place, hearing **'Graffiti' by Youngboy Never Broke Again** coming from the club they both started rocking as they paid for entry and found a spot to dance, once the tune finished, they went to the bar for a drink and back to the dance floor, the DJ kept them dancing for nearly 5 hours

"Sam?" he heard across the bar as they stood trying to get their next drink looking up to see Gavin standing there "Bro" he smiled at him, moving closer

"Gav" he said hugging him

"What no Christmas this year?" Gavin asked him pushing him off him

"Sorry Bro I can't do that shit no more" he said grabbing his shoulder "Hey this is Mercy my girl" he told him as he looked behind at her and pulled her forward to meet him "Mercy this is my little Bro Gavin"

"Hi Gavin" she smiled , looking up at Sam

"He's my Dad's son" he confirmed, as Mercy looked back at Gavin and smiled again, he didn't look like Sam at all with his brown hair, blue eyes and chubby build "How you getting a drink?" he asked him

"I'm 18 as of Thursday" Gavin replied holding his ID up

Sam held his face in shock "Shit yeah , sorry Bro I forgot all about it, happy belated birthday, did you get the usual?" he asked as Gavin nodded his head laughing "PS game?"

"You know that Bro, God forbid those two should have to think about something, I mean 18 yeah?"

"Welcome to adulthood kid, this is on us" he laughed grabbing his brother again as his attention went back to the bar, grabbing him a drink too

They danced some more and eventually Sam declared enough and they left the club just after 4 am "Mercy" Andrew called as Sam hailed the cab

"What Andrew?" she asked "I told you already leave me alone"

"I need..." he said pleadingly into her eyes, turning to anger when she didn't get her money out

"Andrew, seriously , you wouldn't even understand how much I need" she said rolling her eyes as he came closer to her

"Stop" Sam shouted as he turned to see what was going on "Don't touch her again, don't ever touch her again or there will be hell to pay" he stood in front of Mercy saying to her brother as passers by looked on "She used to give you money for your shit but that's stopped now and until you decide to be a positive in her life we don't need you"

"We?" Andrew asked looking at Mercy "Who is this damn fool?" he asked her "Tell him to get the fuck out my face before things get peak for him"

"Peak for you Andrew, leave me alone" she said getting in the cab as Sam stepped in, leaving Andrew standing there "He'll get it soon" she said cuddling into Sam as they finally made the journey home

 **Quinn's**

'Q will you please speak to me' the message on her phone said as she stood telling Noah and Santana she'd had enough of his attempts at an apology and she really didn't want to hear it

"Come on girl, be truthful with yourself" Santana said looking at her "Seriously what do you want to happen?"

"I guess I want to talk to him, get his stuff out my flat and have a nice Christmas "

"So text him tell him to come, we can stay or be up at mine, just bang if you think things are getting out of hand, your choice"

"Will you stay till he gets here, I can tell once I see him if I need you to stay" she said as she texted him back to come now

"Yeah" Noah agreed

Shane was there in 20 minutes Quinn sat on the couch nervous for what was about to go down "Hi" he said as Santana opened the door "Q can I talk to you" he asked as he walked in seemingly undeterred by her visitors being there, he sat on the couch beside her "I've been a fool" he said looking at her not daring to touch her "I truly thought I loved Lauren, I really did, until 2 days ago" he paused "I asked her about presents for Marc, I was thinking of asking for him for part of the day tomorrow, and she totally told me he didn't exist" he gasped "I was like what that's my son how does he not exist , I left his mother for you, he exists" he nervously laughed "it was at that moment I realised I was the worst parent ever, giving my child up for what? I was fine giving you up, or so I told myself because I'd been with her for so long I've never looked at the prospect of anyone coming before her but you do Q, you and Marc do"

"Oh really, we do?" Quinn asked sarcastically

"I know you don't believe me and I've got a hell of a lot to prove but I want to prove this to you both"

"Shay you beat me, in front of Marc sometimes, our whole relationship has been about you being in love with Lauren and now suddenly you want me to believe something different just because you say it's so?"

"I know I need to prove this to you and I'm willing to do that just say you'll give me a chance?" he pleaded "Please, just one more chance"

"Come for Christmas tomorrow and see Marc" she said getting up signalling for him to leave

"Thank you" he said getting up too

"It's just Christmas Dinner Shay nothing else" she said looking very serious "Word of warning I'm nobody's fool any more"

 **Santana's**

"We bringing Christmas in our favourite way?" Noah asked as their kiss finished

"There's like an hour to go" she giggled

"We could get started, do a bit of a marathon" he suggested

"We most definitely could" she replied, looking down on hearing his phone ping "Who's that?"

"My Dad" he said sitting up "He's outside"

"What now?" she asked jumping up herself "You going to see him?"

"Yeah we are" he said pulling her up with him as they exited her flat and went downstairs to let his Dad in "Dad" he said with a smile on his face "Thought you guys were out the country"he said holding the door open for him as he proceeded to guide him up the stairs and to his flat "How's Mom?" he asked once they got in

"Mom's not too well actually son, she's locked up in London" he said as Noah spun round to see if his Dad was joking, his journey to the kitchen forgotten

"What happened?"

"We owed big time and had to do some hustling, they didn't want me to do it so you're Mom did it to seal the deal, she got caught carrying, those are the chances we take" he said as if it was an everyday thing

"How could you let Mom do that?" he asked a cry in his voice as he crashed in the couch next to Santana, his Dad sat on the chair at the table

"We know what we're about son, it was always a possibility, granted we thought it would be me, so that sucks but we both knew the risks"

"So..." he started before he remembered Santana was with him "Dad this is my girlfriend Santana, Tan my Dad" he smiled at her

"Hello" the tan skinned, muscle rippling, brown eyed man with a thunderous voice said to her, she sat being grateful that this man was never her Dad, she wouldn't have been alive today if he continuously shouted at her or randomly punched her every now and again

"Dad" Noah said sitting forward to speak "We've never minced words and I don't intend to start now especially when you're sitting in my house" he said looking back at Santana with a sorry look on his face "I think it's a totally fucked up thing that's happened to Mom and I'm guessing right now you're looking for somewhere to rest your head but seriously, this is not it, I could lose my place for you being here now visiting stops at 10pm. All I can do is the same thing you did for me on a smaller scale obviously" he said taking money out his wallet and giving it to his Dad "See how you go on that" he told him as he handed it over

"Fair play son" he smiled as he took the money "So what you doing for Christmas?"

"I'm spending it here with my new friends"

"Good for you son, you got out and done something with it, I'm proud"

"Dad I didn't even get a choice in that, I didn't even know I was in until it was time to get out and that wasn't fair on me"

"I'm sorry son but, it wasn't plain sailing for me either I was a victim of circumstances myself"

"I really don't want to hear it Dad since I've come in here I've had to make conscious decisions about my life, and so far I think I've done well. Everyone has a choice at some point, you just chose the wrong thing, quick money always comes with a tag"

"Check you out, all grown and shit" his Dad laughed "I'm laying low so I can't spot you up I got to go but I'll speak to you again soon and son" he said getting up "I pray you make all the right choices" he said hugging him before walking out the door "Nice to meet you" he told Santana before closing the door

"Shit Noah" Santana said "You swore at your Dad and he didn't do anything, I'd have been dead by now"

"That world is a world I never want for my children" he smiled as he sat taking in what just happened "Come on lets got to yours, I got to get out of here and start our Christmas off properly" he laughed after a while

 **Sam's**

"Do you want a hot drink" Sam asked Mercy as they got back from the club "It's Christmas we should be drinking your cocktail" he laughed

"No thanks, I need to get into this conversation we asked for earlier" she said sitting on his couch

"Okay" he said sitting down next to her

"I know we agreed we'd wait until, well until there was love and stuff but Sam, I feel that already and I don't mean to push you into anything you're not ready to do, I just need you to know I'm ready"

"You said that so much better than I'd planned" he smiled "I tried earlier but I chickened out" he blushed "I love you Mercy" he finally confessed grabbing her hand as he said it "I wanted to say it before Christmas but I guess, if we want this, it could be our first Christmas present" he smiled embarrassment in his face "I'm ready too" he said getting up to put some music on to mask his awkwardness

"I'd love that" she said as she heard **'Fire We Make' by Alicia Keys & Maxwell **coming out of his Pod "You've changed your vibe?" she asked

"I'm catering for my mood" he said walking towards her as they set about getting to know each other for the first time

"Hey" Mercy finally said "I love me some Maxwell honestly" she smiled as her eyes closed again at his touch "But could we turn that off I need to hear me some Sam right now" she asked when another song threatened to play "Or put that mother, low and on repeat" Sam stopped long enough to press repeat before he was back on her lips

"How you doing" he asked his breath hitting her face as he spoke , making her close her eyes just when she got the strength to open them again

"I wanna tell you but..." she didn't finish before he grabbed hold of her lips again "Your good at this" she smiled into his mouth as his hand slid down her leg and back up to where she needed it to be a sound escaping her busy lips

"We need a bed" he pulled away from her saying as she got up making their way to his bedroom, she sat watching as he took his clothes off his hardness sprung out of his pants and stood to attention waiting "I'm shy" he said with a smile on his face

"Me too" she said getting up and taking her clothes off as he watched her, stroking himself

"Remember the guitar conversation?" he asked

"Something about going all night" she giggled walking towards him

"For the next 3 hours at least" he laughed

"I'll take that" she said before they locked lips again falling into bed and staying there until they were satisfied several times

 **25th December**

 **Noah & Santana **

"Noah" she shouted for the third time "We need to go get things ready at Q's"

"I brought the drinks down last night I'm done" he said rolling over for more sleep

"You know I've got the turkey to do and you promised to help after keeping me up half the damn night" she said pulling the covers off him

"Tan come on half an hour more" he said grabbing at the sheets

"No, come on it's 7am already, and it takes 6 hours to cook" she told him as he lifted his head up off the pillow

"Let me get dressed then" he said smiling as she threw the cover back at him for pranking her, before walking out of the bedroom, he jumped off the bed and grabbed hold of her

"Happy Christmas girlfriend" he said giving her a kiss

"It will actually be a Christmas for me, and I wish you a happy one too" she said kissing him back

 **Sam & Mercy **

"Seriously, we're going to have to stop now little man will want to open his presents soon" Sam told her

"Yeah we'll stop after this" she replied pulling him back down onto the bed wrapping her legs around his waste "Come on then up" she jumped up some 40 minutes later "We're going to be late" she smiled as Sam shook his head for her cheek

"I'm sure someone sort of said that like nearly an hour ago" he smiled "Happy Christmas" he said kissing her as she lay on his arm "I love you"

"I love you too, happy Christmas" she said as they lay for a while just taking in the togetherness before Sam jumped up

"I'm so buzzed for today" he said running to the bathroom before remembering Mercy was there "Sorry do you need here first?" he asked as he stood at the bathroom door

"Go ahead, I'll burst in if I need to" she laughed

 **Marc & Quinn**

Quinn lay on the bed watching Marc sleep and thinking of all the wonderful things he'd be seeing for the first time today, the presents and his face and she couldn't help but be excited for a new Shane she hoped would be turning up as icing on Marc's cake "I so hope he means this for you sweetheart" she told her sleeping son

It's 7.15am and Santana needed to be here any time now if dinner was going to be served anywhere near the agreed 1pm, she hadn't gone to Mercy's as planned because somehow she actually believed him last night when he rocked up cap in hand with his I'll always love my child thing. So she was going to see how today went, she had good friends if things went well she'd be happy but if they went bad, she'd call on the army to help with Mr's removal and she didn't see anything wrong in contacting the police to protect her child, he needed to know she'd go that far

"Morning Sweetheart" she said looking round to find her son looking at her, expecting food, she picked him up and made her way to the kitchen to do just that

 **9.30 am**

"About time" Noah said as Sam and Mercy knocked the door laden with vegetables in pots and three different deserts

"Where can we put these " Sam asked ignoring his comment flicking the door shut with his foot with arms full as Mercy walked slowly in front of him "Move that ass" he told her

"Boy this ass has been moving all night, it's time to go slow" she turned to tell him making him smile "Santana is that turkey in already?" she shouted across the room

"Yep it's in" she confirmed "How was the club?"

"It was good we were there till about 5 this morning"

"Yeah Mercy met my little bro Gavin, on my Dad's side"

"My damn Dad turned up last night wanting somewhere to stay"

"Is he coming for dinner?" Mercy asked

"No way I gave him some money and sent him on his damn way"

"Fair enough" Sam replied knocking fists with him

"Shane came by last night too" Quinn announced "He's coming to dinner today , he says he wants to know his son" she said as everyone nodded in agreement

"Must be the ghosts of Christmas past or something" Mercy laughed "We saw Andrew at the club too still wanting money, we just left him standing there"

"God please don't let any of my lot turn up" Santana said looking to the heavens "They probably don't even know that I've gone anywhere just noticed the house getting dirty..." interrupted by the door bell ringing

"That will be Shane" Quinn told them, going to answer the bell and letting him in, he came in, said his hello's and sat playing with his son while they talked

 **10.30 am**

 **Decision**

"Present time" Quinn announced when Shane had settled in, everyone sat taking photos of Marc opening his presents and commenting on his expressions

"Okay Quinn, what was your theme for today?" Sam asked

"Decision aptly chosen for me" she said bouncing up "As I said earlier Shane came round last night" she said smiling at him "and as usual he had a lot to say for himself" she said still looking at him "there's nothing set in stone as yet but whatever I chose I know you guys have my back" she smiled at everyone around the room "I've chosen to sing my contribution to our alternative Day, I'm going to sing **'Fire Inside Me' by Ellie Goulding ft Kygo** mainly because I think that's what I've learned over the past few days. I thought he was my life, I had that so wrong for so long and maybe that had something to do with my parents split or just home life in general, but I have a little one to look after and for him life has to be better, because there has to be something better out there for him, you know" she said before she started singing her version of the song "I have to make that something better for him" she said when she finished

"Thank you" Santana said "That really spoke to me"

"So you gonna hand your presents out now?" Noah asked as she went to sit down

"Yeah sure" Quinn jumped up to fetch everyone's presents, waiting until they opened them and said thank you, before anything else happened

Shane set about playing with Marc, Sam and Mercy wanted to all but leave Christmas to itself and go straight back to bed, but resisted because Sam kept reminding her it was rude, right after he asked her to leave with him every 15 minutes

"What time's dinner?" Mercy finally asked

"One" Quinn told her

"We'll be back at 12 to put the veg on" she told everyone dragging Sam with her

"Mercy" he said when they got outside the door unable to believe what she'd just done

"You shouldn't tease now that's rude" she said as she stood waiting for him to open his door, he laughed to himself as he shook his head and opened the door dragging her in

"You're pushing me" he said pinning her against the wall

"Obviously not far enough you're still talking" she said, he stared at her lips as she spoke before covering them with his

 **11.30**

"Sam" Mercy sat up in bed a while later "We need to talk" she said getting his attention "Are we for real or are we playing at this?"

"What do you mean?"

"It just feels like, I don't know you've made me fall hard in such a short space of time, and I'm scared I guess, because to fall from this high, I don't know what it would do to me"

"I'm praying hard that this is real Mercy, because, well, the way I feel I've never felt this, I feel like I'm coming out of my shell and your making me feel free enough to do that, I'm scared of where free is with you, but I want to be there"

"That's how I feel"

"So you're willing to take this ride with me?"

"I'm holding on for dear life" she laughed as they lay silently in their feelings smiling and content

"It's nearly 12" his sad eyes telling her he wasn't happy about it "Let's get dressed and go back, veg remember" he forced a smile as they got ready and returned to Quinn's

 **12.30**

 **Apology**

"Noah I guess we're up for an apology just before dinner, yeah?" Sam asked

"That's me" he said jumping up "I guess, my song was initially about Tan accepting my apology for the other day but after the visit from my Dad the other day I think parts of it apply to him. I don't actually know how I feel about my parents at the moment, I mean I know I love them and everything" he said looking embarrassed for having used the L word "But how they influence my life I question, I don't want that for myself and it was hard to see anything else because I didn't know anything else" he stopped to make sure everyone was following his conversation "But meeting you guys over these past few day, which feels like years I might add, for everything we've shared, makes me believe that there is better out there and I want to actually apologise to Quinn for my statement at house meeting about Marc being in a hostel, this is a cool and safe place to be, and you're a cool Mom" he smiled at her "I'm going to sing **'Overnight' by Jake Miller ft Simone Biles"** as he turned his pod on and started singing while everyone danced to his song, he danced with Santana of course

"I guess presents" Quinn told him when he finished, he got his gifts and passed them out to everyone

"Okay dinner is served" Santana announce

"We forgot the chairs" Sam said looking at Noah and Shane as they jumped up to get some from Noah and Sam's flats returning with chairs and poppers

"Crackers" Santana ordered as they sat about ready to start eating their Christmas meal, everyone grabbed a cracker and proceeded to pull and don hats, tell jokes and blow their respective whistles to the tunes they got from their crackers as they ate

"I like our alternative Christmas day so far, everyone's being listened to and I've had a proper present" Sam commented

"And no way am I doing the washing up" Santana added as everyone laughed

"Your fine, we've got that covered" Mercy told her looking at Quinn, who looked at Shane before they laughed again

"Okay" he said holding his hands up "My contribution, washing up" he offered as everyone cheered

"Gosh" Quinn let out in amazement "It really is Christmas"

 **2.30**

Everyone sat around stuffed, they had thrown down the onion soup starter, killed the turkey several times with all the trimmings and ate the traditional Christmas pudding within 90 minutes "I know I'm not officially a part of this alternative Christmas thing so I don't have a theme but I do need to sing something to Quinn if nobody minds?" Shane asked

"Go for it" Noah said looking around the room

"I got to hear this" Quinn said smiling as he stood up and set his song in the pod and stood in front of her as he sung his version of **'So Cold' by Jah Cure** as everyone was up slow dancing to his offering until he finished the song "Q I know I have a lot to prove but if you give me this chance..."

"Shane" she said holding her hand up at him to stop "I heard what you said yesterday and honestly, no I don't see my life with you but I want you to be up front and centre in Marc's life and I'll take that any way you offer it. We can't be together I don't even know how we'd begin to come back from all the beatings you've given me in the name of Lauren and all the times you've wished me dead" she paused as if still feeling the hurt "How does a relationship come back from that?"

"I really don't know I just know I'm sorry" he stood helpless in front of her his whole body begging forgiveness

"That's not enough maybe vulnerable Quinn would have taken that but this girl standing in front of you right now" she pointed to herself "Has changed, I have you to thank for that but no, right now I'm saying no"

"I guess I'll have to accept that, for now"

"Yeah because that's all I have to offer right now" she said staring at him when she finished

"I guess I knew you were going to say that, I did treat you bad, but I mean to change your mind about me, I don't know how but I plan to" he smiled

Noah looked at Santana while Mercy went off to play with Marc and his toys, Sam quickly followed her "What do you think?" she asked quietly

"It's totally up to Quinn it's an affair of the heart apparently we don't get involved" he laughed

"I agree but whatever she chooses I'll support her" she said as they played with Marc and sat talking for a while

"Time for another theme?" Noah asked some time later as everyone looked like they were ready for sleep, they were so relaxed

 **3.30**

 **Breathe**

"God yeah" Sam said looking at Mercy "How do you all fancy Breathing?" he asked

"I'm into that" Mercy said getting up "Breathe" she said looking around the room "I came here because I was lacking air, freedom, life I couldn't live the way I was living any more with my family, or should I say dysfunctional family. This theme is apt for me because when I fell on the steps of Amanda House I cried for the longest time trying to release all that pent up mess and I vowed I'd done all my crying for my past and I have, but recently and unexpectedly, I met my future, as in Sam" she smiled at him watching him hold his heart "I spoke to him for one night and after that I was able to breathe again. I'm learning how to live again, to be young, in love and dare I say happy, you guys have had something to do with that too, you've helped me fill a gap where my family should be, and I'll be forever grateful for that. I'm singing this song to Andrew because I guess, he's my brother and despite everything I love him, I hope he finds peace, I hope he learns to breathe again" she smiled and to Sam because after everything that's been thrown at me I can still take the time to find a new beginning or the ability to breathe as I see it" she said going over to the pod and putting on **'Praying' by Kesha** and singing her version

"Mercy you have a beautiful voice, you need to do something with that" Brad said alerting them all to staff standing at the door listening

"We could hear you from outside and just had to come and look" Emma, a member of staff from the other block, said smiling at her

"Christmas looks cosy in here" Brad said looking around

"Thanks" Santana said, everyone looking around smiling at their accomplishment "How many of you guys are working on Christmas Day?"

"Just us" Holly replied, as Mercy went back over to Sam's lap "Brad's just taking over from us until night staff arrive so he'd be all over the place"

"That was emotional and beautiful babe" Sam whispered in her ear as he kissed her neck "You mean a new beginning to me too" he said as she held his head to her face and closed her eyes taking in the closeness

"Okay guys" Holly said "We also came to give you your presents, the boss is being super generous this year so here you go" she said handing presents out to them "Shane, sorry we didn't know you were still around, you didn't sign in" she said surprised when she finally got to where he was sitting

"I'm spending Christmas Day with my family, I'll be gone by curfew" he said so politely even Quinn had to look twice to see if it was really him talking

"I actually meant sorry, we didn't get you anything" Holly said as she handed Marc a present, surprised at Shane's manners

"I've already got the best present" he said holding Marc up and kissing his forehead as he brought him back down

"We'll leave you all to it" Brad said as they backed out, Brad making sure Sam and Mercy saw his smile as they smiled back at him

"I guess it's my presents now" Mercy asked getting up to go get them and pass them out, everyone sat around messing with their presents so far for a while and settled in to watch a Christmas movie

"Oh this looks good" Quinn said flicking through the channels "My One Christmas Wish" she said as they read the synopsis and agreed it was worth watching

"Mega Teary" Santana said wiping her eyes as the titles came up marking the end of the film "Jackie was so inspirational"

"Imagine there are people all over the world like us, without a functional family to spend Christmas with" Quinn said hugging Marc

"Image if there were groups of people all over the world like us, getting together to make Christmas the best they can" Mercy said as they sat considering

"There must be, and I must say I'm grateful for you guys" Noah smiled

"Aaarrrhhh" Everyone said before they laughed it off, none of them actually familiar with that kind of stuff

 **5.30**

 **Feelings**

"Stop with the internal feelings Santana and do your thing" Sam commanded

"Okay" she said jumping up to find the centre of the room "I'm still waiting for my past to come back and haunt me, but I guess they don't even know I've gone yet I was so insignificant in that house" she laughed

"We got you girl" Quinn encouraged her

"I guess love hasn't been something that's been in my life and when I first got here, as you all know, I was trying to make myself fit into that showcase footballers wife type, I'd seen it on TV and I thought they were happy and I could get that happy if I was one of them." she laughed "I seriously had to get to grips with my feelings really quickly I've felt alone all my life, it took Noah to show me different, developing feelings for him was so fast it scared me to be honest, and because I was scared I really had to follow through with this feeling I had for him" she giggled "Slowly he's helping me to feel, and I realise now I've been numb for so long, I didn't even know it **'Circles' by Jana Kramer** says what I'm trying to say better than I can right now" she said as a tear left her eye and she turned to set the pod up "You guys don't even know what you've done for my self-esteem, confidence, self worth in these past few days just being treated like a human being and listened to is amazing for me" she smiled as she took a second before she pressed play and started singing her version of the song

"Truth" Noah shouted as she finished making her smile as he held his hand out for her to take and go to him

"Presents" Mercy reminded her just as she went to sit down

"Yeah" she said rolling her eyes, as she got her presents and handed them out

"Deserts Sam" Noah shouted across the room, Sam's screwed up face making Mercy laugh

"I got to let you go for a bit" he said in her ear "And I'm upset about that" he giggled in her ear

"I'll come with you" she said getting up as they both went to sort the deserts out, bringing them to the table, everyone gathering around to eat. Of course the men had thirds while the ladies contemplated seconds, Mercy being the first to dive in then the others didn't feel so guilty

"We'll dance this lot off" Noah suggested once they'd finished as Shane put his beats on and they started moving around the room to the cool beats of Aidonia, Vybz Kartel and I-Octane amongst others, smooching sometimes or learning each other new dances until the vibe damped down

 **7.30**

 **Relationship**

"It's nearly time for Marc's bedtime" Quinn announced "So party's nearly over for us"

"I guess it's time for the last theme" Sam announced as he moved towards the pod "My theme is relationships" he smiled looking at Mercy "Gosh I've developed a few of those over the past few days" he laughed saying "Anyway I hope we all feel like that's what we've been doing over the past week or so, I mean I'd never have thought I'd be best buds with a dealer" he said looking at Noah

"Low blow Dude" he laughed saying "A homeless dealer I might add, obviously business not so lucrative" making everyone laugh

"A single Mom with boyfriend issues" Sam smiled at Quinn saying "And I'd just like to commend you again on your Mommy skills, I can see Marc means everything to you and in the same breath I'd like to big up Shane for showing up for his son today we all know that that stuff means something"

"I have nowhere else to be me friend" Shane replied

"Thank you Sam" Quinn said, genuinely pleased with herself

"Then there's Santana" he said his smile resting on her "Nasty but nice turned into love of Noah's life and cleaning, seems like that relationship is healthy for the two of you, I like your fire girl, I guess that's been suppressed for an age but now you've found it again never let it go"

"I won't" she said hugging Noah

"It helps us all that the staff here are so cool, supportive and sincere, I guess for me anyway I felt straight away that Brad believed in me and that's made me brave enough to take steps the old Sam might have run away from, on day one. We've built some awesome relationships that right now feel like they're going to last a lifetime here"

"They will" Quinn assured him

"And right now the relationship that means the most to me in the world is the one Mercy and I have created, I know we're young and some might say circumstances may have something to do with the way we feel about each other, but these feelings are real for us" he said looking at Mercy "Before I get emotional I guess I'll sing my song which is **'Is this love' by James Arthur** because I'm blown away by the way she makes me feel, I'd go as far as to put it out there and say, if it's got anything to do with me, and I hope it has, this relationship is forever" as he pushed the button and started singing his song

"I love you Sam" Mercy said when he finished

"I love you too" he said kissing her forehead

"Presents" Quinn shouted as everyone looked at Sam, he got his gift and handed them out

 **8.30**

"We'll leave you guys to get Marc to bed, holla if you need anything" Noah said as Santana and he left Quinn's

"Yeah tomorrow" Mercy said dragging Sam with her as he grabbed another piece of cake

 **Santana & Noah**

"So" Noah said once they got inside his flat "How was Christmas for you?" he asked

"Seriously" she bursting into tears

"Oh I'm sorry Tan" he said unsure what the trigger was as he grabbed her and hugged her while she cried

"I opened 5 presents today" she told him, when she calmed down

"Yeah we all did" he said unsure of what she was actually saying

"I don't remember ever opening a present before" she said wiping her eyes as she spoke "This, seriously, was my first ever Christmas"

"Tan" was all he could find to say as she hugged her again, unable to tell her his sadness was that this was his first Christmas without his family

"Did you miss your family Noah?" he sat wondering if he'd said it out loud

"I did, but I had you" he smiled as she looked up at him

"Come on bed, we were up super early this morning"

 **Quinn, Shane & Marc**

"Can we talk after this?" he asked as he bathed Marc ready for bed while Quinn sorted his night clothes

"I really don't know what else there is to say Shay" she said her face sad for the repeat button she'd have to press to make this guy understand he'd put her though too much for her to want to look back

"No pressure" he said as he dressed Marc

"I'll sort his bottle" she said getting up, leaving him to carry on with Marc and give herself some thinking time "So what do you want to talk about?" she asked as she re-entered the room

"I guess I just need you to know that I understand where your decision is coming from, looking back I guess I might have said the same thing" he said before he looked up at her "But I really need to let you know I'm trying to change, I respect you and I love our son, because of that I'll work on your terms, so friends?" he asked

"We can be friends I guess, without benefits, I don't want to get pulled in again"

"Actions speak louder than words Q and I intend on proving myself" he said looking down to see Marc had finished his bottle, he sat him up cleaned his face and waited for his burp before laying him down again. Quinn made Shane a hot drink before she sat watching the TV as he got Marc to sleep, put him in his bed, before kissing her on the cheek saying goodnight and then he left

"Impressed" Quinn said as she heard the outside door shut, signalling he'd left the building

 **Sam & Mercy**

"Your song" Sam said spinning her round to face him as they entered her flat "I just need you to know I understood and felt every word, even though I slagged my Mom off for doing that, praying I mean" he said kissing her, pressing her against the closed door "I wanted to sing something fitting like my Mom would have had me sing on an evening like tonight but I chickened out" he laughed

"Why?"

"For everyone laughing at me it's real Christmas stuff" he giggled

"Like?" she asked as she watched him pick his guitar up

"Like this" he said as he started playing 'Oh come all ye faithful' smiling as Mercy sat waiting for the words to come "I can't it's too painful" he laughed

"You worked me up for that" she said laughing with him when he finished "I guess we could have a go at working up a sweat instead" she sobered up saying

"So romantic" he laughed

"What the song?"

"No that was something my Dad always hated about Christmas, the damn so..."

"What the hell" Mercy said looking towards the door

"Shane" they both said at the same time as they got up and got to the door, getting to the corridor they saw a man banging on Santana's door and shouting things in a different language

"Hello" Sam shouted down the stairs

"Hello" he spun round saying "Sorry, I'm Santana's Dad, I've been looking for her for over a week now, and someone finally told me she lives here"

"She used to" Sam said looking at Mercy "She moved out two days ago, I thought she went back home or to a relative" he added looking at Mercy again

"Yeah she went to her cousin's" Mercy added shaking her head in agreement with Sam "Two days ago" she added before bowing her head for the shame of lying

"What's going on" Quinn came out of her flat saying with the baby crying as she stood at the door with Marc on her hip "You've just woke my baby up"

"Sorry" the man shouted down

"What do you want?" Quinn asked "Who are you visiting?" she asked before he could answer the first question "How did you get in?"

"I'm looking for my daughter Santana, a black boy that was leaving told me she lived on the first floor"

"She used to, she left" Quinn shouted up "He's my visitor he don't know anything" she smiled "She's staying with Laquisha is it?" she said as Sam and Mercy looked at each other

"Oh Lashawna" he said knowingly as he turned to make his way down the stairs "Sorry about waking your baby" he said as he passed Quinn and seconds later he was out the door, they watched as the car started up, turned around and left the forecourt

"Has he gone?" Noah came out of his flat asking

"Yeah he's gone" Mercy said as they watched the car park

"I'm gonna kill Shane" Quinn said angry

"It's not his fault he didn't know about the not letting in stuff" Sam said in his defence

"Where's Tana" Quinn asked

"She's inside, will you girls come and help her out" Noah asked as Mercy and Quinn made towards his flat, Quinn passing Noah her baby

 **Noah's Flat**

"Girl" Mercy said as they walked in to see a crying Santana sitting on the floor in the living room "What's wrong?" she asked rolling her eyes for the silly question

"I heard his voice and I wet myself" she cried "I stood right here and wet myself, I'm shaking like a leaf, my heart's beating so damn fast" she said touching her chest still shaking

"What did those people do to you?" Quinn asked as she signalled to Mercy to grab her other arm and they got her up

"A bath always helps" Mercy said as they walked towards the bathroom, she ran a bath for her while Quinn cleaned the living room floor before they all sat in the bathroom talking about Santana's feelings

"My Mom had these mad tendencies" she told them as she let the hot water cover her skin "Doctor said she was Bipolar and I remember them saying she wet herself and walked around like a paranoid bitch" she cried at the picture "That's what's going to happen to me, it's started already" she cried as she threw water on her face

"I'm by no means a professional about these things Tana but being scared shitless does not equate to mad" Quinn assured her "When I was with Shane he took me to that place, I was wetting myself as the expectation of getting slapped around, at first I'd sit and shake like a little frail bird, much like you now" she smiled "Then it got to the I know what to expect stage and I just read the signs rather than think of it as wrong, it became my way of life, you're not mad girl your scared"

"I didn't wet myself but I'm familiar with the shakes" Mercy smiled "There was a time just before I left home that I looked in the mirror an saw myself outside of myself, if that makes sense" she stopped to check if she'd said that right "The stress of Andrew took me as close to the edge as I needed to go, I felt like the next time I wouldn't be able to come back and I just knew I had to leave the situation"

"I guess what we're trying to tell you" Quinn giggled saying as Mercy combed Santana's hair "is that it's alright to be scared and however that comes out at that time is not something you can control, it's not a condition it's a reaction to a shock"

"Yeah don't over think it" Mercy suggested

"But my Mom..."

"Exactly your Mom not you" Quinn reminded her "Come on lets get you dried off" she said as she grabbed the towel off the rail "You got any clothes here?"

"No only underwear" she said as she got up ready for the towel "Noah" she shouted as he came to the bathroom door "Could you go get me some clothes please?" she asked as he smiled at her and headed off to do as she'd asked "I'm so grateful I have you guys" she said smiling at Mercy and Quinn

"We've got your back" Mercy told her, a while later Noah came back with her clothes, she got dressed and they all went to Mercy's flat, hers being the furthest away from the front door, just to have some peace

 **Mercy's Flat**

"Seriously, I don't usually but does anyone want a tipple of this in their nightcap?" Mercy asked holding up Noah's small bottle of Jack Daniels

"How did you get that?" he asked laughing

"I confiscated it, but we've all had such a night, I think we all need to at least big ourselves up once for the way we've dealt with things"

"Dealt with things this whole week" Quinn said smiling

"The whole week" Santana agreed

"It feels like an age ago when I walked into the office and Brad sat me down telling me about himself and asking me about myself I must admit I didn't listen to much of what he said about himself but I'm intrigued to know what you guys think about yourselves now after just one week in your own world" Sam laughed

Mercy giggled for the longest time, holding her belly as everyone looked on at first but her giggle was so infectious everyone chuckled or laughed along with her eventually she calmed down enough to speak "I cried for a full hour I think" she said "and my goal was to..." she thought before saying any more "use my brain; as in go to University, get some life skills and not hook up with anyone" she said looking at Sam "Uni is still on the cards I have every intention of starting that, We've done what two modules for life skills and well, I totally messed up on the third" she smiled "I not only hooked up I went and fell in love" she said leaning in to kiss him as he smiled "But" she said holding her finger up "My family's still fucked up, note my parents didn't make an appearance, and big bro is still a drug hound but I seriously can not deal with that shit if I mean any good for myself, he got to make his own choices, I deserve to too"

"That's right" Sam said hugging her to him again

"I" Santana said smiling "Failed miserably I wanted to loose my family, even my Mom's Bipolar, but family is for life I guess so right now I just choose not to be a part of that family. I'm making plans for myself now, that's something I've never done before, I mean proper realistic plans, that don't include being a footballers wife" she said making everyone laugh "Noah and I are planning, who knows how long we'll last but for now it feels like forever, I guess I've been looking in the wrong places" she smiled "I've lost the stay dirty mentality" she said rolling her eyes "Dad rocking up was major for me but I guess I'll deal with that better next time and hopefully one of these times I'll actually confront him, Yeah" she said loudly as everyone clapped

"You will and I'll be right there" Noah assured her hugging her

"Well" Quinn said sitting up as she spoke "All I can say is empowerment" she smiled "That first time when I asked Shay to leave when you guys were there and he left, red rag to a bull" she smiled "I realised I had a voice, that was what my Dad always called me mouthy, because I'd always have an answer for everything and somewhere along the way Shay took that away from me. But hell, at the prospect of losing my sanity or worse Marc I found it again with the help of you guys, and you know what?" she asked as everyone looked waiting for her to carry on "I'm never going to lose it again" she said as she jumped up clapping her hands at her own realisation.

"I'd say you were empowered girl the way you marched out the Mall the other day grabbing Mercy" Santana said laughing "Andrew's face was priceless"

"I'm sitting here thinking about my Dad's visit and I think I just cottoned on that they love me" Noah smiled to himself "I would have been the one making that run if I'd have still been around and that's why Mom was willing to do it" his face happy as he spoke for the sacrifice they'd made

"You had good Christmas' Noah, of course they loved you" Santana said looking at him for a while before he realised and looked back at her still smiling

"Anyway, where I was a week ago" he said hugging her as he spoke "I guess I was craving company, hence the group of guys that came around that first night or so. But I quickly saw the opportunities this place offered and I can't lie trying to fit into footballers wife world helped that along a lot faster" he laughed "I was all set to be something I wasn't only to find I've become exactly who I want to be. You guys are good for me and I hope I bring something that touches each of you too"

"You touch me" Santana smiled curling into him making him laugh

"I'd like to think we all touch each others lives in some positive way" Mercy commented

"We do" Noah acknowledged

"Yeah we do" Sam said looking at Mercy "I suppose I just came looking for sanctuary" he laughed "I've been living two very separate lives for all my life really" he looked at Noah saying "I had this normal white boy just living through it image that I showed everyone external even my brother all the time, then I'd get in the house and it would be back to early 1800's with my Mom quoting bible verses, talking sins I'd supposedly committed that day and asking forgiveness before the thirty minute blessing for cold food" he smiled nervously "My aim was to get out from under that so I guess I achieved it" he said looking around "My bonus is finding Mercy, I'm super shy really the jokes are to hide all that, but when I'm around her I really don't want or need to be shy, I love her, I really do and in some funny way I have my bigoted Mom to thank for that" he laughed "And I love the way you guys let me lead most the time, I've loved it"

"And we've got another 11 months of this guys" Quinn shouted across the room making everyone smile as Marc lifted his now sleeping head off her chest for a second before finding sleep again

"You gonna put him down?" Mercy asked

"Yeah"

"Do you want some help?" she asked

"Yeah" Quinn replied wondering what was going on there as Santana jumped up too "What's up?" she asked as soon as she put Marc to lay down

"It's all this together talk" Mercy told her "It's just, it's so raw with Shane and stuff and I feel like we're throwing this in your face all the while" she said looking at Santana to support her argument

"Don't stress that shit, I love him of course I do, maybe I always will he's the father of my only child, but he treated me bad and right now really, I'm over it and, I'm seriously happy for you guys, I'm confident I'll find the one for me and Marc" she smiled before hugging them "Oops did I just say I loved Shay?" she asked before they started laughing as Quinn quietened them down and left the bedroom Marc soundly asleep

"What you girls been up to?" Sam asked cheekily as they returned

"Quinn was just having an oops moment" they giggled

"As in _**'Oops' by little Mix & Charlie Puth**_?" Sam asked

"Not really but it could be I guess, finish the night off with a song" Quinn suggested

"What about Marc? Noah asked

"He'll be alright just start the song"

"I'll start" Santana said jumping up front as if they were performing to an audience, as the music started and they sung their rendition of the song

 **S** **antana:** _Oops, my baby, you woke up in my bed_ _ **Quinn**_ ** **:**** _Oops, we broke up, we're better off as friends_  
 **Mercy:** _Now I accidentally need you, I don't know what to do_ **All** _Oops, baby, I love you_

 **Santana:** _It started with "What's up with you?"_ _ **Quinn**_ ** **:**** _I messed around and got caught up with you_  
 **Mercy:** _Yeah, yeah, I don't know what to do, I've got these feelings like it's nothing new_  
 **Girls:** _Now I can't get enough of you_

 **Mercy:** _And when I think about the way you touch my body, I don't know how long I can wait_  
 **Santana** : _And when I think about the way you touch my body, this could be my greatest mistake_  
 **Quinn:** _You've got me singing_

 **Girls:** _Oops, my baby, you woke up in my bed, Oops, we broke up, we're better off as friends_  
 _Now I accidentally need you, I don't know what to do, Oops, baby, I love you_

 **Sam:** _We had a good run, we messed around and had some good fun, guess it turns out I lost a good one_

 _'Cause now I'm wishing every morning would come, with you next to me, baby_

 **Noah:** _And when I think about the way you touch my body, this could be my greatest mistake, you've got me singing_

 **All (Mercy):** _Oops, my baby, you woke up in my bed, Oops we broke up, we're better off as friends_  
 _Now I accidentally need you, I don't know what to do, Oops, baby, I love you_

 **Mercy & Santana: **_Now I accidentally know that you're in love with me too, Oops, baby, I love you_

 **Girls:** _If it was up to me, I'd take a time machine to the day I said goodbye_

 **Boys:** _So can we try again, we're official, more than friends, no, don't you tell me goodbye_

 **All:** _You've got me singing_  
 _Oops, my baby, you woke up in my bed, Oops, we broke up, we're better off as friends_  
 _Now I accidentally need you, I don't know what to do, Oops, baby, I love you_  
 _Now I accidentally know that you're in love with me too_  
 _Oops, baby, I love you_

"That was invigorating" Mercy said as she flopped on the couch with Sam beside her "And Christmas Day is officially over" she said looking up at the clock

"Sorry to say this guys, and I know it's totally selfish but tomorrow's a duvet day for us 24 hours of just us so don't even knock, for visitors we're not in and family we've left" Sam announced as he stood up and pulled Mercy with him "Back to work day after for both of us, so time is gold right now" he said as they hugged everyone and left for Sam's flat

 **Sam's flat**

"Did you have a nice Christmas?" Sam asked as they kicked their shoes off and found their familiar couch

"I had a beautiful Christmas thank you" she said pulling herself up to kiss his lips "Thank you for helping me make it that way" she said looking into his eyes "Did you have a nice Christmas?"

"Brilliant Christmas yeah but" he said grabbing her attention with his pause "I'm seriously looking forward to Boxing day and night" he smiled, as he moved forward her eyes were already closed by the time he reached her lips making him smile "I love you Mercy Jones" he stopped a hair away from her lips to say as her eyes opened to take in what he'd said

"I love you too Sam Evans" she said as she started singing **_"And there's certain things that I adore"_**

Sam joined in with **_"And there's certain things that I ignore"_**

As they both finished the chorus **_"But I'm certain that I'm yours, certain that I'm yours, certain that I'm ..."_ ** as they got lost in each other again

"Sorry I forgot to turn it off" Mercy moved in the bed the following morning to grab her ringing phone "It's my Mom" she became alert

"Answer it"

"Duvet day?"

"Answer it" he said again

"Mom" she said quietly "What?" her face changing from scared to shocked as Sam jumped up "I'm on my way" she threw the covers off saying "Andrew's Overdosed, he's in hospital" she said before her voice broke, she didn't have time for much else as Sam dragged her to the bathroom, threw her in her clothes and they were out the door in under fifteen minutes

 **Hospital**

"Mom" she ran towards her saying, coming to a standstill as she saw her step-dad come through the double doors the other end of the corridor

"I'm here" Sam told her, which seemed to move her out the spot she was stuck in and into her Mom's arms

"I didn't even know he was using drugs" her Mom cried into her shoulder

"For a while Mom" she pulled away from her saying "He's been beating me up for money for a long time now, and I just couldn't help him anymore I had to leave, it was killing me"

"I'm sorry, you should have told us, you should have told me" she shook her saying as Sam stepped closer

Mercy jerked away from her Mom and stepped closer to Sam "You were too wrapped up in your own life to be looking about what Andrew of I was doing"

"So what, this is all my fault is that what your telling me?"

"I'm saying..."

"Don't you dare speak to your mother like that" her step-dad jumped in

"Is Andrew alright?" she asked ignoring his command

"No, I mean I haven't heard anything yet" she replied looking from her husband to Mercy and back

"Mr and Mrs Jones" the doctor came out saying

"We're Stephenson, Mr and Mrs Stephenson" her step-dad corrected the doctor

"Sorry, Just to say Andrew is out of the muddy water this time, but it was close, we'll need him to see someone later today or tomorrow so we'll be keeping him in"

"So, I'm his sister, he's alright?" Mercy asked to confirm

"He'll be fine this time" the doctor confirmed "Do you want to see him?"

"No" she looked at her parents saying "This family hasn't given me much, but I can definitely say thank you for who I've become today, Bye Mom" she said grabbing Sam's hand and walking out

"Mercy what are you doing?" he asked as they walked

"My soul just changed Sam, I need to look out for me now"

"Hey" he stopped her walking "I'm looking out for you too"

"And until you tell me different, I'm looking out for you too" she kissed him before they carried on walking "Can't wait for new years eve"

The End


End file.
